LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Manchester City's players were jeered and taunted by Liverpool fans in a hostile atmosphere at Anfield on Sunday.
In City's first game since the club was found guilty of a raft of financial breaches, the team endured vitriol from Liverpool fans.
Along with loud boos and chants of “cheat, cheat,” there were taunts of “going down,” in reference to potential punishments City could face.
An independent panel found City artificially
inflated its revenue by more than $1 billion to help sign some of soccer’s biggest stars as it went on to dominate the Premier League.
City has appealed, but potential sanctions could include a massive fine, points deductions or even expulsion from England's top flight.
Liverpool has twice missed out on the league title in recent years, losing by a single point to City.
“They should be stripped of everything they’ve won,” Liverpool fan Sav Agathangelo said outside the stadium. “The moment has gone for me to say in the season when we finish second, we’re champions.
“I would strip them of everything but I wouldn’t necessarily award it to runners-up or anyone else.”
City’s team bus has been targeted by Liverpool fans in the past as rivalries have grown between the teams. A hostile reception was expected, but City largely avoided the home fans by taking an alternative route to the stadium for their Premier League clash.
Inside, there was quickly a taste of things to come as the City lineup was loudly jeered and the boos were even louder by kickoff.
City arrived at Anfield looking to extend its lead at the top of the standings to three points above second-place Arsenal.
Mohamed Belloumi came off the bench to maintain Hull's impressive start to the season by salvaging a 2-2 draw against Everton.
The newly promoted team has lost just once this season and went ahead shortly after halftime at the MKM Stadium through Joe Gelhardt.
Everton, which faces a potential sale after U.S. owner the Friedkin Group said it was looking for new investment, rallied through goals by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry to take a 2-1 lead.
But Belloumi, who was a 64th-minute substitute, found the equalizer 10 minutes after coming on.
Oliver Glasner fell to a 3-1 defeat on his return to Crystal Palace with new club Nottingham Forest.
Glasner is a Palace hero after winning the FA Cup, Community Shield and UEFA Conference League as coach.
He left at the end of last season and took over at Forest.
Palace rallied after Dan Ndoye put Forest in front in the third minute at Selhurst Park.
Daichi Kamada and Jefferson Lerma both struck for the home team at the end of the first half and Yeremy Pino added a third after the break.
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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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