City kit out battle bus to catch yobs on film
MANCHESTER CITY have spent a small fortune fitting their team bus with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment for Sunday’s trip to Liverpool. The upgrade, which included installing 15 ultra high-definition cameras around the vehicle, came in response to an attack on the coach during their last trip to Anfield. Before April’s Champions League clash, Liverpool supporters bombarded the bus carrying Pep Guardiola and his players with bottles, bricks, flares and other missiles, causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage. Despite a warning that Liverpool fans were planning a hostile ‘welcome party’ and the substantial footage of the disorder which subsequently circulated, Merseyside Police failed to make a single arrest. And it would appear that City have now decided to take matters into their own hands ahead of the 4.30pm kick-off, the first time they will have returned to the venue since the quarter-final fixture.
Sportsmail understands specially trained staff will
operate the cameras, scouring the area for any signs of trouble as City make their approach. The cameras can rotate and zoom to capture all locations around the vehicle.
Should a repeat of April’s disorder take place, clear images of those involved will be quickly shared with the authorities.
While City declined to comment, there is little doubt they are hoping that the steps they have taken will deter anyone thinking of staging a repeat attack.
The Premier League champions will use a different, unannounced route into the stadium. They will not travel past the Arkles pub, yards from Anfield, where Liverpool fans have traditionally congregated before big matches to create a hostile environment for opposing sides.
City were perplexed by the lack of arrests in April. Upon arrival, Guardiola was filmed sarcastically thanking Liverpool staff for the protection they provided.
Meetings between City and Merseyside Police have been taking place since the summer. The force say they have ‘prepared a comprehensive and appropriate policing operation’ to ensure there will be no repeat of April’s trouble.