Man City set to erect NETTING around Liverpool fans when they next play at the Etihad

Manchester City are considering introducing nets in the visitor’s section of the Etihad Stadium following numerous incidents at games against rivals Liverpool, the latest of which left a 15-year-old girl with “scars for life”.

The Premier League champions took action after the teenager was struck by a beer mug loaded with coins that had been thrown from the away box during the Carabao Cup clash in December. A heartbreaking image of the girl’s bloodstained blue and white scarf later surfaced on social media.

City have now raised the issue in a meeting with security officials and Manchester council and are considering implementing the measure on a “case by case” basis, according to city council sources.

Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan called the girl’s father, who said his daughter had been scarred for life, to offer an “unreserved apology” but City reluctantly decided to act, believing they have little choice. and they need to protect their own followers.

In a security group meeting, it was revealed that more than 50 in-game reports of missiles being fired from the other end were made and there were regular problems when the two clashed at the Etihad.

A 15-year-old girl was left ‘scarred for life’ after a Liverpool fan threw a beer mug loaded with top-tier away section coins at the Etihad Stadium during December’s EFL Cup tie.

She was injured by a hard plastic cup filled with coins and liquid thrown from the other end.

A shocking image surfaced on social media of the boy’s bloodstained scarf after the incident.

The net is commonplace in certain European matches, but is rarely seen in Premier League matches.

It would only be installed at City’s home if the officials believe before the match that there is a substantial risk of trouble from the visiting team. It would also offer players protection against missile launches.

The presence of such a measure would provide a sad indictment of fan behavior in this country.

There have been a number of problems in recent matches, but the latest is considered the last straw.

The girl was hit shortly after Fabio Carvalho equalized in the 20th minute of the clash, which City won 3-2. Games in domestic cup competitions, in which visiting teams receive larger allocations, would be under scrutiny if City decide to go ahead with the plan.

For those matches away fans tend to be given a full top tier so the net would be in front of them. The situation is more complicated for league matches, where the fans are on three levels, so netting would be required in front and on both sides.

Next City will face Liverpool on April 1 in the Premier League. It is not yet known whether the nets, which would be fire resistant, easy to see and quickly dismantled in an emergency, would be ready for that match.

Hogan added that Liverpool were committed to finding the offender. That is not believed to have happened yet.

Before that game, the clubs had issued a joint statement calling for calm between the two fans with the increasingly toxic rivalry. But it seemed to have little impact.

Greater Manchester police said they were aware of “a number of objects” thrown during the game, while a 53-year-old man, believed to be a City fan, was taken to hospital after being assaulted nearby. ground.

Disabled Liverpool supporters were subjected to racist abuse, and GMP confirmed that a man had been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.

Previous matches have also faced problems. In 2018, Merseyside Police failed to make a single arrest after the City manager was hit by bottles, bricks and flares ahead of the Champions League quarter-final.

Large mobile stands for cup matches at the Etihad Stadium occupy the upper level

A flare is fired at the Manchester City winger during the December game with Liverpool

Pep Guardiola claimed he was targeted for coins when City lost at Anfield in October, and City said his team bus was also attacked, with damage to the windscreen shown above (right).

Thousands of pounds of damage was done with a replacement brought in to bring City home. In 2021, the City bench complained that they had been spat on during a match at Anfield and passed pictures to Liverpool, who forwarded them to Merseyside Police.

Again, there were no arrests and the same was true of the latest clash on Merseyside in October last year, where Pep Guardiola complained that coins had been thrown at him.

Manchester City declined to comment. Liverpool and Merseyside Police did not respond to requests for comment.

City fans were accused of vandalizing visiting Anfield winger and singing Hillsborough chants