FA’s Anfield investigation may include attack on Manchester City team bus

The Football Association will open a wide-ranging investigation into events that marred Liverpool’s win over Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, which may include a formal complaint from the visitors over damage to their team bus.

The FA is awaiting a report from the referee, Anthony Taylor, before deciding whether to charge, warn or take no action against Jürgen Klopp after the Liverpool manager was sent off for remonstrating with the assistant referee Gary Beswick. It is also looking into allegations of coin-throwing and offensive chanting during Liverpool’s 1-0 win.

City are also expected to complain to the FA after their team bus was attacked as it departed Anfield. The windscreen was broken when objects were thrown at the bus on Anfield Road, with City’s players on board. Liverpool were fined €20,000 by Uefa in 2018 after supporters damaged the City team coach en route to a Champions League quarter-final at Anfield. A City supporters’ bus was also attacked by Liverpool fans in 2015.

The Premier League champions want action taken over the latest incident involving their team bus. They have not commented on City supporters chanting relating to Hillsborough during the game or vandalising toilets in the away section at Anfield with graffiti about the disaster. Liverpool issued a statement on Sunday night condemning the “vile chants” that impact on families and survivors of the disaster. The FA condemns the chants and supports Liverpool’s statement. It has jurisdiction to take action only over discriminatory chanting and its investigation will consider whether that was the case on Sunday.

Liverpool have pledged to issue lifetime bans to any fan found guilty of throwing coins at City’s manager, Pep Guardiola.

Merseyside