A police officer suffered a serious facial injury and ten people were arrested after disorder broke out around Sunday's heated Premier League encounter between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield, Merseyside Police have confirmed.
The match, which City won 3-0, carried extra significance as it marked the club's first fixture since being found guilty of 114 charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. The charged atmosphere inside and outside the stadium appears to have spilled over into violence following the final whistle.
According to police, the injured officer was hurt while making an arrest on Anfield Road at around 6:30pm, shortly after the match concluded. The officer was taken to hospital for treatment but has since been discharged and is recovering at home.
Of the ten arrests made in connection with the game, one man was detained on suspicion of two counts of assaulting a constable — understood to be linked to the injury sustained by the officer. Five further arrests were made on suspicion of chanting about football tragedies, an offense that has drawn particular condemnation from police. One person was arrested for being drunk and disorderly as well as assault, two others were held on suspicion of affray, and one individual was arrested for allegedly throwing objects onto the pitch.
Chief Inspector Leanne Hobin of Merseyside Police described the officer's injury as deeply troubling given the role of police and stewards at such fixtures. "The officers and stewards are there to protect the public and keep them safe, and it is extremely disappointing that an officer has sustained a serious injury while carrying out that duty," she said. She added that investigations into the incident were continuing, with the aim of ensuring "anyone responsible for criminality can be brought to justice."
Hobin was especially critical of those arrested in connection with chanting about past tragedies, a recurring issue in English football that has previously drawn widespread condemnation from clubs, supporters' groups and governing bodies alike. "The tragic loss of life should never be a subject for tribal point-scoring," she said. "Football fans who chant about tragedies cause huge distress to the loved ones of people who died, and their behaviour has absolutely no place in football."
She confirmed that police would continue working alongside the clubs involved to identify those responsible for such chanting and ensure appropriate action is taken against them.
Despite the trouble, Hobin was keen to stress that the disorder involved only a small fraction of those present at Anfield. With roughly 60,000 supporters inside the stadium for the fixture, she praised the conduct of the vast majority. "Despite the actions of a few, the overwhelming majority of the 60,000 fans in attendance behaved well and I want to thank them for their co-operation," she said.
The incidents add to the list of controversies surrounding Manchester City this season following the Premier League's guilty verdict on the financial rules charges, with Sunday's match representing the club's first outing since that ruling was made public. On the pitch, City's comprehensive 3-0 victory at Anfield will have done little to ease tensions between the two clubs' supporters, who have a long-standing rivalry at the top of English football.
Merseyside Police say their investigation into the events of Sunday evening remains ongoing, with further arrests possible as inquiries continue.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport and The Guardian.