Manchester City players were jeered and taunted by Liverpool fans on Monday in their first game since the club was found guilty of a raft of financial breaches.
But by the end it was the away section, decked out in blue and waving giant inflatable bananas, cheering loudly after a 3-0 win at Anfield in the Premier League.
"In this moment all the organisation needs this kind of win," City coach Enzo Maresca said. "It's good for us as a coaching staff, it’s good for the players, it’s good for the fans, it’s good for the organisation. I think this kind of a win is good for all the club."
It is not yet known what the future holds for City after an independent panel found the club artificially inflated its revenue by more than US$1 billion (NZ$1.77 billion) to help sign some of football's biggest stars and dominate the Premier League. But for now it is sitting pretty at the top of the standings with a 100% winning record and looking down on its rivals.
Second-half goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki saw City take advantage of Liverpool going down to 10 men following a red card for Ryan Gravenberch around the hour mark with the score at 0-0.
City is the early pace-setter this season, three points ahead of defending champion Arsenal in second, with victory a welcome relief for the embattled club after the fallout from the biggest scandal in Premier League history.
After the final whistle, that relief was evident in the smiles on the faces of Haaland and Maresca as City's players and staff went to show their appreciation to their celebrating fans, which included Haaland's father Alfie.
'Our noise'
"It was not easy for the players after the last two or three weeks," Maresca said. "We need to learn how to deal with the outside noise because of the situation and the noise will be always there.
"So we need to learn how to deal with that, but at the same time we need to try to make our noise. That is win games like we have done today because at the end of the game, I think our fans they were singing, so the noise was from us."
City was accused of providing misleading information about its finances over a nine-year period from 2009-18 — a span in which it won three league titles and signed superstar players like Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne.
It has appealed, but potential sanctions could include a massive fine, points deductions or even expulsion from England’s top flight.
Welcome to Anfield
In many ways a trip to Anfield to face fierce rival Liverpool in its first match since the verdicts was among the worst assignments City could have been handed. Yet such an emotionally charged game may have been the perfect way to ensure minds were only focused on the field.
The game swung after Gravenberch was sent off for a second yellow card.
Haaland had already missed a one-on-one, but made no mistake with a first-time finish from Doku's deflected cross in the 65th minute - three minutes after Gravenberch's red.
Doku curled a shot into the top corner three minutes later and Cherki scored the third when shimmying in the box.
"I think we played two different games today. One game until the red card where the players have been very good and we were the best team, but a goal hasn’t materialised. The second game from there, City were better than us," Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola said.
It was a statement win for City - especially after such a hostile reception.
"They should be stripped of everything they’ve won," Liverpool fan Sav Agathangelo said outside the stadium. "The moment has gone for me to say in the season when we finish second, we’re champions.
"I would strip them of everything but I wouldn’t necessarily award it to runners-up or anyone else."
City’s team bus has been targeted by Liverpool fans in the past. On this occasion City largely avoided the home fans by taking an alternative route to the stadium.
Inside, however, there was quickly a taste of things to come as the City lineup was jeered and the boos were even louder by kickoff, with chants of "cheat, cheat" and taunts of "going down".
Yet by the time Cherki scored, many Liverpool fans had seen enough, heading for the exit with still more than 10 minutes left to play.
"This is a lovely moment and the feeling after the game will stay with us for a long time," Haaland said.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including a man’s killed by a tiger at the UK zoo, and Trump’s plan to rename the Pacific. (Source: 1News)
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