Manchester City’s team bus was bombarded with bottles, firecrackers, flares and other heavy objects on its approach to Anfield on Wednesday night.
Liverpool fans lined the streets around the ground to form an intimidatory greeting for the Premier League leaders ahead of the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Pep Guardiola’s side were blown away within half-an-hour after goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane.
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The route taken by the Manchester City bus (red) instead of the usual direction (green)
Liverpool fans threw bottles, rocks and fireworks at the Manchester City coach
Uefa are poised to launch into an investigation into the incident on Wednesday night
While City subsided on the pitch, events in the buildup to the match outside the ground have proved just as high-profile.
Merseyside Police announced a change in route for the away side’s approach to Anfield just hours before kick-off.
Usually for a European clash the away coach would come up from the Titanic Hotel, turn right off Walton Lane and head up past the King Harry pub towards Anfield.
Building work and scaffolding meant the route was changed by police in an attempt to ensure fan safety.
The windscreen and the driver’s window were damaged after missiles were thrown at bus
The routes for both teams’ coaches had been made public hours before kick-off
It went instead around Stanley Park and up Arkles Lane, entering Anfield Road from the opposite direction.
As it reached the Arkles Pub it would then turn right onto Anfield Road and enter the stadium from that direction.
But it was when it reached the pub that complications arose. The coach had to slow down in order to turn around a really tight bend to reach Anfield Road.
It was forced to stop and effectively became a sitting duck, with the bulk of missiles thrown at the coach from there.
City had raised concerns in the buildup about the welcome that Liverpool fans would be reserving for their players before the match.
Liverpool were forced to apologise for the incident: ‘The club condemns in the strongest possible terms the scenes which preceded our Champions League quarter-final, which resulted in damage being inflicted on the Manchester City team bus during their arrival at Anfield.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted it had cast a shadow over the tie prior to the match
Liverpool issued a statement condemning the ugly scenes before the Champions League tie
‘We apologise unreservedly to Pep Guardiola, his players, staff and officials caught up in the incident. The behaviour of a number of individuals was completely unacceptable and the club will cooperate fully with the authorities to identify those responsible.
‘The priority now is to establish the facts and offer Manchester City whatever support is necessary.’
Jurgen Klopp said: ‘I really don’t understand. There was a lot of talks before. We tried everything to avoid a situation like that. When I came here we had to take another way as well, and then you thought OK, that’s already because last time it didn’t work too well.
‘When we came through (the atmosphere) was obviously very positive. But we didn’t know when we are on the bus that this had happened before because City were in front of us. So, yes, for Liverpool FC I have to say sorry.’
The bus carrying Pep Guardiola and his men to Anfield was attacked by home fans
Bottles, cans and flares were thrown from the crowd as the City team bus pulled into Anfield
Match Commander Superintendent Paul White added: ‘We are aware that damage was caused to the Manchester City team bus as it approached Anfield stadium this evening ahead of the Liverpool v Manchester City match.
‘Thankfully no-one on the bus was injured, but injuries were caused to two of our officers when projectiles were thrown towards the bus. The officers and stewards are there to protect the public and keep them safe.
‘This behaviour by a number of people who threw bottles, cans and pyrotechnics towards the bus is completely unacceptable and we will conduct enquiries to identify who was responsible and bring them to justice.
‘We worked very closely with both clubs to ensure the safety of the public and the teams themselves, and it is disappointing to see that a number of people behaved in this appalling way.’
City’s team bus received a raucous reception as it arrived at the ground just after 6:30pm
Merseyside Police had revealed that the team coaches would not take their usual route