Manchester City’s team bus took an alternative route into Anfield on Sunday, avoiding the main gathering of Liverpool supporters ahead of the two sides’ meeting.
Footage posted by BBC journalist Dan Roan showed the bus entering the stadium through an alternative entrance rather than approaching along Anfield Road, where fans had assembled.
The decision came as City prepared to play their first match since being found guilty of the vast majority of the 115 financial charges brought against the club. The circumstances have added tension to an already significant fixture.
Liverpool finished narrowly behind Manchester City in two title races in recent years, and supporters may feel particularly aggrieved by the findings concerning the club’s finances.
Manchester City face Liverpool at a hostile Anfield
The Anfield crowd is expected to be especially vocal, with City’s players and manager facing a charged atmosphere when the match begins.
The players themselves were not responsible for the alleged financial breaches and will be determined to answer the criticism on the pitch. City will also be keen to demonstrate the quality that has established them among the leading sides in English football.
For Liverpool, the match carries an additional edge. Players including Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk have been described as having potentially missed out on major honours during City’s period of dominance.
The bus’s use of the staff and contractors’ entrance underlined the sensitivity surrounding the fixture, with the focus now turning to how both teams respond once play gets under way.
