Dump this staged embarrassment

MANCHESTER CITY players were embarrassed, Liverpool players were embarrassed and even those of us in the Etihad stands, without any emotional ties to the occasion, were embarrassed.

If there is one definitive lesson to be learned from what turned out to be a pleasant, if ultimately one-sided, exhibition match on Thursday night, it is that the ‘guard of honour’ should be no more.

Danny Murphy had to apologise for his comment about Kevin De Bruyne having to applaud players “not fit to lace his boots”.

Poor choice of phrase, but Murphy’s view will not have been changed by events a few days ago.

At the end of that game, De Bruyne – the outstanding footballer in the match by some distance – congratulated every single Liverpool player and left the field in smiling, animated discussion with Reds defender Virgil van Dijk.

Two giants of the game chewing the fat about the season and about Liverpool’s title win, no doubt.

That is how it should be.

Nothing forced, nothing staged, nothing awkward.

Bernardo Silva was also seen congratulating rivals post-match, but had been highlighted for having his hands too occupied to be able to clap them on to the pitch at the start.

He took some stick on social media, but so what if he did not feel like saluting the champions BEFORE his team-mates tried to beat them?

Does anyone REALLY care? While we are at it, let’s make the pre-game Fair Play Handshake – or whatever they call it – a thing of the past.

This might all sound a bit Roy Keane-ish, but the time for pleasantries is after you have done battle… not before it.