Latest editorial
Graffiti pictured in the concourse of the away end at Anfield, which references the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters. Justice for the (JFT) 97 is a slogan referring to the 97 Liverpool fans who died due to police action at Hillsborough stadium in 1989. JFT 39 appropriates this to the deaths of the 39 people who died in the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster in Italy, after which 14 Liverpool fans as well as several top officials and a police captain were convicted of manslaughter – unlike with Hillsborough
Players stress importance of unity and describe how war affects their preparations for the tournament
Free Lions fan group accuses governing body of prioritising profit over supporter safety
LAST Sunday’s meeting between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield was a thrilling game of football between two of the best sets of players in the world.
But instead of being a game celebrated for its frenetic, high-quality play, the fallout focused on unsavoury incidents away from the sport of football itself.
The afternoon featured a number of flashpoints, from Jurgen Klopp bellowing in the ear of the referee’s assistant, for which he was duly and deservedly shown a red card, to Liverpool fans throwing £2.50 worth of coins at Pep Guardiola as he egged them on from the touchline in true pantomime fashion.
As football grapples with overloaded calendars and commercial pressure, the Mariners’ triumph reminds us why the game’s soul lives far from the spotlight, writes JAMES NALTON
STEVEN ANDREW welcomes a fine introduction to FC United of Manchester, the team set up in opposition to Manchester United
