An Anfield reminder of 2018: Liverpool fans prepare fierce bus greeting for Manchester City

What happens when the Premier League's most explosive modern rivalry meets the raw emotion of a fan base ready to unleash a decade’s worth of frustration?

We are about to find out on Sunday afternoon.

When Manchester City’s team bus pulls onto Anfield Road, it won't just be entering a football stadium it will be driving into a cauldron of decade-long frustration, moral outrage, and pure, unfiltered Merseyside noise.

This isn't just another top-of-the-table clash between Andoni Iraola’s Reds and Enzo Maresca’s side. It is the first time City step onto a pitch since the long-awaited verdict of an independent commission found them guilty of all 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.

The simmering storm breaks at Anfield

For weeks, while the international break put domestic football on pause, the news of the commission's landmark decision has been allowed to simmer. City have lodged an official appeal as they attempt to limit what could become an extremely substantial suite of punishments.

Nevertheless, while legal teams spar in boardroom corridors, Sunday marks the moment where real fans finally get their say.

And let's be honest about it: Anfield is probably the most unforgiving venue in world football for City to visit right now.

The rivalry between these two clubs has defined the last decade. But for those of us who stood in the stands at Anfield and at home watching in 2014, 2019, and 2022, the guilty verdict strikes a deeply personal chord.

Liverpool finished as runners-up in 2013-14 and lost the 2016 League Cup final to City on penalties. More than that, missing out on Premier League titles by a single point in 2019 and 2022, while competing against a state-backed juggernaut operating under a cloud of alleged financial breaches, leaves a bitter taste that time simply hasn't erased.

If City's titles are ultimately stripped following the appeal process, Liverpool stand as one of a handful of clubs who could directly benefit. But before any record books are rewritten, there is a football match to be played and the atmosphere off the pitch promises to be as intense as the tactical battle on it.

'It is not going to be pretty' - City warned of Merseyside reception

Coach greetings on Anfield Road have long provided the soundtrack to Liverpool's defining modern afternoons. From European nights against Barcelona and Roma to crucial title-race clashes against City, the sight of thousands of fans lining the streets through thick crimson smoke remains one of the most iconic images in English football.

Call-outs circulating across supporter groups urge matchgoers to gather along Anfield Road hours before the 4:30 PM BST kickoff:

Given City’s recent rivalry between the two clubs has been on the rise for some time and there have been incidents at previous matches between the two.

One social media post is advertising a ‘Bus Greeting’ around two hours before the 4.30pm kick-off on Anfield Road.

Fans are asked to bring ‘flags, banners, pyros, flares, kopparbergs’. which is a popular cider served in a glass bottle.

Police are aware of the poster and have said that they will have ‘an appropriate policing plan in place’.

Addressing the planned bus greeting, Merseyside Police confirmed that an extensive, tailored security plan will be deployed around Anfield and the city centre throughout Sunday:

"As with all Premier League fixtures at Anfield, we will have officers on duty at the ground, both uniformed and plain clothed, supported by mobile CCTV and specialist resources including mounted police.

"We are aware of social media posts regarding a bus welcome. We want fans to enjoy a safe and memorable afternoon, and anyone committing offences will be dealt with appropriately."

Writing in the Manchester Evening News, chief Man City writer Simon Bajkowski made no attempt to sugarcoat the hostility waiting for Maresca's side on L4:

"Anfield is probably the worst ground they could have asked for first up after the news that the club have been found guilty of nearly all of the counts in the 115 case, yet there are plenty of Liverpool fans who are already playing down expectations.

"It will flare up at away games in particular, where for tens of thousands of fans it will be their only opportunity of the season to get their feelings across in person.

"It is not going to be pretty, but it will be a surprise if it catches the players off guard given how used to the abuse they are."

City are no strangers to hostile receptions on Merseyside. Memories automatically drift back to April 2018, when their team coach was damaged by thrown bottles and pyrotechnics ahead of a Champions League quarter-final clash, an incident that saw Liverpool issue an immediate apology and Merseyside Police launch a full investigation.

With safety top of mind, Merseyside Police have already confirmed that an "appropriate" security operation will be deployed around the stadium on Sunday to maintain order.

What it means for Iraola, Maresca, and Liverpool

Beyond the legal backdrop and terrace noise, the sporting stakes could hardly be higher. Both teams enter the weekend with unbeaten records on the line, featuring new managers in both dugouts attempting to establish their own era.

For Enzo Maresca, the challenge is psychological as much as tactical. Keeping his players focused while navigating relentless chants, hostile banners, and an enraged Anfield crowd will test City's composure to it's absolute limit.

On the flip side, for Andoni Iraola, the objective is simple: channel that noise into energy on the pitch. Iraola's high-pressing, relentless tactical setup thrives on momentum. If the Kop can turn Anfield into a electric powerhouse from the very first whistle, Iraola's side have the tools to suffocate City and blow the title race wide open.

This isn't just 90 minutes of football. It is the culmination of years of tension, legal drama, and sporting rivalry finally boiling over in the flesh. Sunday at Anfield is going to be brutal and none of us would want it any other way.

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