Man City and Liverpool FC fans have to accept uncomfortable truth

The toxic nature of the rivalry that grew between Manchester City and Liverpool in recent years was nearly summer up in the 2022/23 season.

The clubs released a joint statement ahead of a Carabao Cup meeting at the Etihad in December 2022 calling for 'the right environment for our matches' after boiling point had been reached at Anfield in October when some City fans were involved in tragedy chanting and the visiting team bus was attacked (again) as it left the ground. Days after the statement, a teenage City fan was left bloodied after being hit by a plastic pint glass weighted with coins and launched down into the home end.

Even if these incidents were a 'minority' of fans, it certainly had maximum effect of showing the extreme side of the dislike between the two rivals that went up to boardroom level. The two clubs went about winning in very different ways and were chiefly responsible for the other not winning as much as they could have done, which only amplified the division.

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Tensions have eased in the last few years with Arsenal becoming City's biggest threat in the Premier League and Jurgen Klopp's departure may allow Arne Slot to draw another line under what has come before. The joint protest between City and Liverpool fans before Sunday's fixture at Anfield should also remind both sets of supporters of the uncomfortable truth behind the clubs they love.

Through their rivalry, there has actually been plenty of similarities for City and Liverpool fans in terms of their experiences in recent years. Both had the 24-hour shock of their clubs signing up to the