Reds frozen out

City cut Liverpool allocation for Etihad due to safety fears

LIVERPOOL’s ticket allocation for their trip to the Etihad to face fierce rivals Manchester City next month is to be slashed by 20 per cent.

safety officials have recommended the move ahead of the April 1 clash following numerous incidents of crowd trouble, one of which left a 15- year- old girl ‘scarred for life’ after she was hit by a pint pot filled with coins in December’s Carabao Cup tie.

City have been advised Liverpool should be given 2,400 seats — a substantial drop from the 3,000 they would normally expect to receive. The move is unlikely to go down well on Merseyside and will do little to calm tensions between the clubs.

City declined to comment, but it is thought they have little option but to abide by the recommendations of the safety advisory group, a collection of officials including the emergency services who issue the certificates which permit matches to be played.

That group have decided to act after the Carabao Cup tie between the clubs at the Etihad saw the teenage City fan struck by a missile hurled from the visiting area. It was just the latest in a series of incidents at games between the clubs amid growing toxicity off the field.

Last month, Sportsmail revealed City were considering bringing in netting to surround away fans at the Etihad on a ‘ case-by- case’ basis. That will not be in place for next month’s match but remains under consideration.

Ahead of December’s tie, won 3-2 by City, both clubs appealed for calm. However, at a safety group meeting following the fixture it was disclosed that more than 50 reports of missiles being launched from the away end were made.

A 53-year-old, believed to be a City fan, was hospitalised after being assaulted outside the ground and disabled Liverpool fans were allegedly racially abused and a man was arrested.