Police officer seriously injured and 10 arrested at Liverpool-Manchester City match
A police officer suffered a serious facial injury and 10 people were arrested around Liverpool's Premier League match against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, according to Merseyside Police, as reported by the BBC. The officer received hospital treatment and is recovering at home. City won the game 3-0.
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Police said a man was arrested on Anfield Road at about 18:30 BST on suspicion of two offences of assault against a police constable. Five other arrests concerned suspected tragedy chanting. The remaining arrests involved suspected affray, throwing items onto the pitch, and a combination of being drunk and disorderly and assault.
Chief Inspector Leanne Hobin condemned the injury to an officer performing public-safety duties. She also said chants about fatal tragedies distress bereaved families and that police would continue working with clubs to identify those responsible. Hobin thanked the overwhelming majority of the 60,000 spectators for behaving well, distinguishing their conduct from the incidents involving a small number of people.
The match took place against the backdrop of Manchester City's financial-rules case. The Independent reported that it was City's first fixture since an independent commission found the club guilty of breaching Premier League rules. City maintain their innocence and have appealed. The newspaper said an outcome was not expected before December or January at the earliest; the appeal therefore remains unresolved.
Security measures were visible before kick-off. According to The Independent's account from Anfield, Merseyside Police deployed drones and increased the number of officers around the stadium. Liverpool supporters gathered along nearby streets before the scheduled 4.30pm start, but City's two coaches used a quieter alternative route to avoid those crowds. The visiting players subsequently faced boos inside the ground, where supporters also displayed a protest banner.
City manager Enzo Maresca had acknowledged the anticipated hostility at his Friday press conference, The Independent reported. He said his players had experience of handling comparable pressure and expressed confidence in the club's appeal. Those pre-match comments concerned the atmosphere and financial proceedings, while Monday's police update detailed the arrests and the injured officer's condition following the fixture.
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