MY ACCOUNT
Liverpool and Manchester City have sent a joint statement to fans of both clubs in an attempt to ease tensions.
The chief executives of the Premier League pair wrote a collaborative email to fans ahead of their Carabao Cup fourth round tie at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.
Liverpool and City’s rivalry has developed in recent seasons as both teams have competed for league titles and various cups.
The Premier League clash at Anfield in October saw coins thrown at City boss Pep Guardiola by home fans, while City supporters could be heard singing songs related to the Hillsborough disaster in which 97 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed in 1989.
A meeting was held last month between officials and fan representatives of the clubs in an attempt to mend fences.
As a follow-up, a statement issued to fans on Tuesday by City CEO Ferran Soriano and his Liverpool counterpart Billy Hogan said: “We write to you today on behalf of both Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC, ahead of our Carabao Cup match at the Etihad Stadium later this week.
“As with any meeting between our clubs, it promises to be a fantastic spectacle of football and we are sure that you are all counting down to kick-off with much anticipation following the break in domestic football for the World Cup.
“The passion and enthusiasm that we see from our fans when we play each other – at the Etihad Stadium or Anfield – is part of what makes matches between our clubs so special, and we know you are committed to creating a stadium environment where everyone is welcomed, accepted and has a fantastic matchday experience.
“Regrettably, based on recent meetings between our clubs, we also know that a minority of fans are responsible for behaviours and actions that have no place in our game.
“We are therefore writing to ask for your full support in tackling these behaviours and to ensure that both of our clubs’ good names are preserved. You can help us by reporting any incidents via the options at the bottom of this email so they can be investigated.
“We appreciate that some fans may not be aware of the impact of their behaviours on other fans, both inside and outside the stadium, and we will continue to work with our fans on this education.
“It is however important for everyone to be aware that we are fully committed to dealing with unacceptable behaviours and will take action by issuing bans to those found to be responsible.
“We have engaged the chairs from both our respective fan groups in our discussions and have their full backing to help create the right environment for our matches.
“If we all stand together to report the behaviours and actions that cause harm – including inappropriate gestures, chanting, throwing of objects, as well as any and all forms of discrimination – then we can all concentrate on supporting our teams.
“Thank you for taking the time to read this email, and for your commitment to help eliminate unacceptable behaviours in football.”
