Coins tossed at Guardiola, Reds-City rivalry getting hot

Liverpool, October 17

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Liverpool fans needed to improve their aim after coins were allegedly thrown at him — and missed — during his team’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield.

Liverpool, meanwhile, said City fans must behave better.

“We are deeply disappointed to hear vile chants relating to football stadium tragedies from the away section during today’s game at Anfield,” Liverpool said in a statement after the Premier League game. “The concourse in the away section was also vandalised with graffiti of a similar nature.”

It is not the first time the rivalry between English soccer’s most dominant teams of recent years has turned bitter. In 2018, City’s team bus was attacked by Liverpool supporters ahead of a Champions League quarterfinals match at the same stadium. And the wounds clearly run deep for Guardiola, who joined City in 2016.

The flash point Sunday came after Phil Foden’s second-half goal was ruled out when VAR invited referee Anthony Taylor to review the pitchside monitor and he spotted a foul on Fabinho in the build-up.

The City manager angrily remonstrated with the crowd, wildly gesticulating before he claims coins were thrown in his direction.

“Next time they will do it better,” he said. “They didn’t get me. They try it again next year. “All these coins, they tried, but didn’t get it. They got the coach years ago.”

Liverpool said it would investigate the alleged incident and that any fan found guilty of throwing coins faced a lifetime ban from Anfield.

The rivalry on the field has grown increasingly fierce due to the quality of both teams in recent seasons. — AP

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