Manchester City to avoid Liverpool hotel stay amid fireworks and ‘general tomfoolery’ concerns

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Published on 2024-03-09 08:00:00

Decision makers at Manchester City have reportedly decided to stay in Manchester the night before their Premier League clash with Liverpool due to safety concerns. The Premier League champions are set to travel to Merseyside this weekend with a potential victory moving them two points clear at the top of the division, a significant step towards their fourth successive top-flight crown.

Pep Guardiola’s team enters the match in fine form, unbeaten in their last 20 matches across all competitions, including notable wins such as the FIFA Club World Cup success. However, their biggest test comes this weekend, leading club officials to take extra precautions to ensure their preparations remain undisturbed from any potential disturbances caused by Liverpool supporters.

According to MailSport’s Jack Gaughan in the latest edition of the Man City Notebook, the team is opting to avoid any risks of ‘potential fireworks or general tomfoolery’ by not staying in a hotel in Liverpool on Saturday night. Typically, the team would stay in the town or city of their opponents the night before a game for relaxation and a laid-back morning before the match.

This time, Manchester City will instead have their final session on Saturday before traveling to Merseyside on Sunday morning via coach, as reported. Gaughan speculates that they may spend some time in a Liverpool hotel for a pre-match meal before heading to Anfield.

The precautions taken extend beyond Manchester City’s plans, with Merseyside Police confirming they will be increasing their presence to reduce any potential trouble surrounding the team’s arrival. The decision follows the crowd problems during a UEFA Champions League quarter-final match in 2018, where Liverpool fans damaged Manchester City’s team coach.

Police are actively monitoring the route taken by Guardiola and his players and are deploying surveillance teams to mitigate any threat to the team’s safety on their visit this weekend. The focus is on ensuring a safe environment for both teams and fans during the highly anticipated match.

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