New 'brutal' warning issued to Manchester City as Merseyside Police confirm Liverpool game plans

Manchester City fans and players can anticipate a big jump in the hostility they face at opposition grounds around the Premier League, starting with Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Man City visit Anfield for their first match since the leak and then subsequent announcement of an independent commission's verdict on the 115 charges they faced from the Premier League.

The commission found City guilty of almost all of the charges and the club have since lodged their appeal as they look to limit what could be an extremely substantial suite of punishments.

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Man City gearing up for 'brutal' reaction on Merseyside

While the international break has left the news of the verdict to simmer away from the reality of actual football matches taking place, City's first fixture takes them to Liverpool.

The Reds are no friend to the Manchester clubs and are also one of a handful of clubs who stand to benefit directly if Man City's trophies are stripped.

Liverpool finished second in the Premier League in 2013-14 and lost the League Cup final against City in 2016.

Speaking on The Overlap, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has told City to buckle up.

"If they want an understanding of how angry the game ​is going to be, then Anfield will tell them like you would never believe," said Neville.

"I suspect there may be banners, there will certainly be chanting. ​There will be a reception like you have never seen for them at Anfield...it will be a ​brutal day."

After previous incidents involving the Man City team bus on its way into Anfield, there has been concern that the City team could be targeted in the aftermath of the verdict.

Merseyside Police have confirmed that an 'appropriate' operation will be in place in Liverpool on Sunday.

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Chants and allegations are not new for Man City

The charges faced by Man City have been hanging over the Premier League and football as a whole for a number of years; indeed, some of the charges relate to alleged attempts to jam up the investigation.

"There may be new developments [but] City players won't necessarily be walking into anything new when they resume their club duties this weekend," writes the Manchester Evening News' chief Man City writer, Simon Bajkowski.

"Anfield is probably the worst ground they could have asked for first up after the news that the club have been found guilty of nearly all of the counts in the 115 case, yet there are plenty of Liverpool fans who are already playing down expectations.

"It will flare up at away games in particular, where for tens of thousands of fans it will be their only opportunity of the season to get their feelings across in person.

"It is not going to be pretty, but it will be a surprise if it catches the players off guard given how used to the abuse they are."

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