Liverpool, Manchester United Fan Behaviour Praised by Police After Anfield Draw

The behaviour of Liverpool and Manchester United fans has been praised by Merseyside police in the aftermath of the match between the two sides at Anfield on Monday. 

Clashes between the two longstanding rivals have recently been blemished by bad behaviour in the stands, with UEFA fining both clubs after crowd disturbances during the Europa League tie at Old Trafford last season.

However, the supporters have been praised by the authorities after an incident-free match on Monday. 

“I would like to thank the fans of both clubs for their exemplary behaviour on Monday night, before, during and after the game,” said Merseyside Police’s match commander Paul White, per ESPN FC’s Glenn Price. “There is a great rivalry between our fans, and it was pleasing to see supporters being respectful throughout a game watched in over 200 countries.”

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Although the game itself is said to have passed without incident, ahead of Monday’s showdown a banner was removed from the M62—a motorway that links the two north-west cities—referencing the 1958 Munich air disaster.

Per Francesca Fitzsimmons of the Liverpool Echo, the banner is said to have read “Manchester United scum 58” and was taken down by police at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the game. As noted in the piece, chants about that tragedy and the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 have been heard at matches between the sides recently.

Ahead of the match, the two club’s issued a joint statement calling on fans not to take part in “offensive and discriminatory behaviour” at the match, per the Liverpool website.