Anderson admits Anfield atmosphere was 'more than normal' as City silence hostile crowd to win 3-0

Manchester City silenced a hostile Anfield with a commanding 3-0 Premier League victory over Liverpool, their first match since an independent panel found them guilty of almost all of the charges levelled at the club in February 2023.

City midfielder Elliot Anderson said the atmosphere was “more than normal” on arrival and during the opening exchanges, with Liverpool supporters greeting the visitors with boos, jeers and chants of “cheats” and “going down”. Pre-match concerns had been raised about the team bus, though City arrived without incident after using an alternative entrance.

“It was more than normal, arriving into Anfield and the first 10 minutes of the game,” Anderson told reporters after the final whistle. “We did well to quieten the crowd. [We] struggled first half but second we were better and then the goals came. I think I just enjoy it, I enjoy the crowd and I enjoy the noise, I thrive under it and that is when I really come alive and it gives me confidence.”

The match turned decisively midway through the second half when Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch was dismissed for a second bookable offence. City capitalised immediately, with Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku both finding the net in quick succession. Rayan Cherki then capped the victory with a polished team goal to seal a result that extends City’s unbeaten league run to six wins from six.

Anderson credited the collective resolve that carried City through the occasion. “[We showed] togetherness, fight, [it is] a tough place to come and we stuck together and fought for each other. We’ve showed courage,” he said.

The result arrives at a defining moment for the club, with the verdict on the Premier League charges casting a long shadow over City’s season. How the independent panel’s findings translate into any sporting sanction remains to be determined, but on the pitch, City gave their most emphatic possible response.