Manchester City fans chanted 'That's how your cat feels' to Kurt Zouma after Julian Alvarez blasted the ball square in his face

Manchester City fans chanted "That's how your cat feels" to Kurt Zouma after the ball struck him square in the face in the 2-0 win at the London Stadium.

Zouma fell to the floor in stoppage time after Julian Alvarez's shot hit him right in the kisser and left him a little dazed for a few moments.

There was a brief delay in play before City took the resulting corner. The away supporters trolled the Frenchman by referring to the sick video where he was seen tormenting, kicking and hitting his pet cat - laughing as he did so.

But Even if Kurt Zouma wasn't in the way the ball was going really high....You just can tell Julian Alvarez did that for the poor cat😂 pic.twitter.com/gOQPUotKXq

— Erling Haaland PR❁ (@ErlingHaalandPR) August 8, 2022

Zouma's two Bengal male cats were removed from his care and both he and his brother Yoan were charged by the RSPCA under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act.

Although Zouma apologised for his actions, he was banned from keeping cats for five years and ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service after pleading guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to a cat, after blaming the family pet for damaging a piece of furniture.

Yoan, who was suspended by Dagenham and Redbridge, admitted one count of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring his older brother to commit an offence.

West Ham fined him two weeks wages and the sum was donated to the RSPCA but Zouma continued to play for David Moyes' side and received jeers from opposition supporters.

Newcastle fans mocked him with inflatable cats in the away end in February, while Brentford supporters chanted "Put him down" after he hobbled off with an ankle injury in April.

In addition, a plane carrying the message "Cats lives matter" flew over Anfield while Zouma played for West Ham against Liverpool.

The former Chelsea defender's cats have since been rehomed.