Man City fear bus attack repeat as Liverpool fans urged to 'greet coach' ahead of title showdown

Posted Friday, November 08, 2019 by Thesun.co.uk

MANCHESTER CITY are demanding guarantees there will be no repeat of their bus attack at Liverpool.

The champions are concerned about posters on social media promising a hostile greeting at Anfield on Sunday.

Man City fear bus attack repeat as Liverpool fans urged to 'greet coach' ahead of title showdown
Man City are demanding guarantees there will be no repeat of their bus attack at LiverpoolCredit: EPA

City are concerned about posters on social media promising a hostile greeting at Anfield on SundayCredit: AFP or licensors

And City chiefs have contacted the Reds to voice their concerns and seek assurances over the matter.

In April 2018 the coach carrying Pep Guardiola's side to Anfield for a Champions League quarter-final first leg was pelted with cans, bottles, stones and flares by hundreds of fans who lined the streets outside the stadium.

The episode caused thousands of pounds of damage and City had to find an alternative vehicle to take them home — after a 3-0 drubbing that ultimately cost them the whole tie as Pep's side lost 5-1 on aggregate.

Nobody was ever arrested in connection with the incident and Kop boss Jurgen Klopp apologised to City over the "dangerous" attacks, slamming "idiots" involved and saying he was "embarrassed, ashamed and angry about it".

Man City fear bus attack repeat as Liverpool fans urged to 'greet coach' ahead of title showdown
Liverpool fans have been urged to 'greet' Man City's bus on Sunday

Man City fear bus attack repeat as Liverpool fans urged to 'greet coach' ahead of title showdown
City chiefs have contacted the Reds to voice their concerns and seek assurances over the matterCredit: EPA

Last year's 0-0 October clash between the sides passed off without a problem — even though similar posters were produced back then.

But there are worries at the Etihad about the latest "coach greeting" invitation and are leaving nothing to chance.

The new posters feature Sunday's date — November 10 — and tell Reds fans to bring "pyro, pints, flags and banners" to make it like "a European night".

City are likely to keep their route to Anfield secret ahead of the top-of-the-table Premier League clash, where a defeat would put them nine points behind Liverpool, leaving a mountain to climb as they hunt a hat-trick of titles.

But midfielder Fernandinho has urged City to smash that hoodoo, saying: "There is always a first time and the mentality is always to try to win.

"We're searching for this first Anfield win. I am confident we can do it."

City will hope No 1 keeper Ederson Moraes can quickly recover from his thigh injury suffered in Wednesday's 1-1 Champions League draw with Atalanta.