Tension, 'cheat' banners and inflatable bananas: Manchester City return to Anfield after guilty verdict

Manchester City's first visit to Anfield since the independent commission's guilty verdict over Premier League financial breaches was met with a furious and defiant atmosphere. Supporters of Liverpool gathered around the stadium hours before kick-off, lighting flares and directing their anger at the visiting champions. The away team's coach was forced to change its entrance route to avoid a direct confrontation with the home crowd gathered on Anfield Road.

• The Manchester City team bus entered through the opposite side of Anfield Road to avoid a volatile reception from Liverpool fans.
• Stalls near the stadium sold 'Guilty 114' flags with AI-generated images of the City squad in prison uniforms and 'Cheats' banners in the style of the Oasis logo.
• Away fans waved inflatable bananas, a tradition dating back to the 1980s among Manchester City supporters.
• Liverpool have finished second behind Manchester City three times since the 2008 takeover, though only one of those seasons falls within the period under investigation.

A heated reception that forced the City bus to change its approach

Liverpool fans positioned themselves on walls and pavements long before the Manchester City bus was due to arrive. The anticipation of seeing the champions, now at the centre of a financial scandal, turned Anfield Road into a boiling point. However, the official coach came through the back of the ground, surrounded by a police operation that had been preparing the area for hours.

Police deployed a drone above the planned route and officers filmed those present as the noise and anger grew. Every passing vehicle raised suspicion among the crowd, with fans speculating about possible diversion tactics from City. In the end, the fully branded coach appeared from the opposite side and reached the stadium without major incidents.

'Guilty 114' flags and homemade banners near Anfield

References to the verdict were easy to find at the stalls around the stadium. For fifteen pounds, haggled down to ten, fans could buy a 'Guilty 114' flag featuring an AI-generated image of the City squad in prison uniforms. Banners reading 'Cheats' in a style resembling the Oasis logo were also on sale.

Many supporters opted for the classic half-and-half scarves to mark the occasion, while others looked for T-shirts with similar designs. Homemade signs with blunt messages were paraded around the ground, feeding a widespread sense of injustice that thousands of home fans wanted to express. Amid the sea of red, a single City fan in sky blue stood quietly, untouched by the commotion around him.

Echoes of the 2018 bus attack and a growing rivalry

The animosity between the two sets of supporters is nothing new. In 2018, Liverpool were punished after fans threw objects at the Manchester City bus as players travelled to Anfield for a Champions League match. That episode left a wound that the recent financial guilty verdict has reopened.

Since City's takeover in 2008, Liverpool have finished second in the Premier League on three occasions. Many home fans feel they would have won more trophies had City not found ways around the rules to sign elite players. That sense of grievance fuelled a hostile welcome filled with chants and messages aimed at the visiting hierarchy.

Inflatable bananas and defiant chants from the away end

Manchester City fans responded with their own style. Around an hour before kick-off, visiting supporters were escorted across Stanley Park by police while singing in support of their chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, and chanting lines such as 'We're Man City, we'll cheat when we want'. Some home fans jeered as they passed, but the movement went off without incident.

In the away corner, inflatable bananas stood out, a tradition that goes back to the 1980s and serves as a reminder that the club existed long before foreign investment arrived. City supporters have seen their team drop to the third tier and also win the Champions League, so their ironic take on the current situation is part of how they support the club.

From the warm-up to kick-off: calm returns to Anfield

When Manchester City players walked onto the pitch for their warm-up, most of the stadium greeted them with loud boos. The public address system announced each visiting player's name and every one received the same treatment. The players took comfort in the small corner of away fans, where inflatable bananas kept bouncing.

Shortly before three o'clock, the Liverpool bus arrived to cheers, chants and thick red smoke. The wind made eyes sting as the police presence intensified closer to kick-off. After the City coach entered with its motorcade, calm gradually took over and the tension gave way to anticipation for a match between two direct rivals.

The subterfuge defused a volatile situation that could have turned into an incendiary one. Tensions were high on Merseyside.

Frequently asked questions about the atmosphere at Anfield for Liverpool vs Manchester City