Bitter rivalry boils over as Salah settles stormy affair

LIVERPOOL, England — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Liverpool fans needed to improve their aim after coins were allegedly thrown at him during his team's 1-0 defeat at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool, meanwhile, said City fans must behave better.

"We are deeply disappointed to hear vile chants relating to football stadium tragedies from the away section during today's game at Anfield," Liverpool said in a statement after the Premier League game. "The concourse in the away section was also vandalized with graffiti of a similar nature."

City fans were heard to chant "murderers" and "always the victims, it's never your fault". Ninety-seven Liverpool supporters died as a result of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989; 39 Juventus supporters were killed during rioting in Brussels' Heysel Stadium prior to the 1985 European Cup final against Liverpool.

The rivalry between City and Liverpool has cranked up in recent years.

In 2018, City's team bus was attacked by Liverpool supporters ahead of a Champions League quarterfinal match at the same stadium. And the wounds clearly run deep for Guardiola, who joined City in 2016.

The flash point Sunday came after Phil Foden's second-half goal was ruled out when VAR invited referee Anthony Taylor to review the pitch-side monitor and he spotted a foul on Fabinho in the buildup.

The City manager angrily remonstrated with the crowd, wildly gesticulating before he claims coins were thrown in his direction.

"Next time they will do it better," he said. "They didn't get me. They try it again next year. All these coins, they tried, but didn't get it. They got the coach years ago."

Liverpool said it would investigate the alleged incident and that any fan found guilty of throwing coins faced a lifetime ban from Anfield.

Liverpool was fined just under $20,000 for incidents around the Champions League match four years ago, which included such severe damage to City's team bus that a replacement was required to get the players back to Manchester.

The rivalry on the field has grown increasingly fierce due to the quality of both teams in recent seasons.

And that was in evidence in this latest installment, even with reigning Premier League champion City 13 points ahead of last season's runner-up before kickoff.

Jurgen Klopp was sent off after furiously racing out of his technical area to complain about a late decision, for which the Liverpool manager later apologized.

"It is about emotion of course so (it was a) red card," Klopp said. "My fault. I went over the top in the moment. I know myself, I am 55 and I deserve a red card."

As for the alleged coin throwing, Klopp said: "Horrible. I am sorry. It never should happen."

Liverpool showed it potentially remains a major threat to City.

Mo Salah's 76th-minute goal was the difference but the home team had the better chances in an engrossing encounter.

Arsenal was arguably the biggest winner of the day, moving four points clear of City at the top of the league thanks to a 1-0 win at Leeds.

Agencies via Xinhua