There is always an edge when Manchester City come to Anfield, but Sunday afternoon carried a raw, toxic atmosphere unlike anything seen in recent years.
Following the Independent Commission's guilty verdict regarding City's breach of Premier League financial rules across a nine-year period, Anfield made its feelings unmistakably clear.
Banners condemned the visitors, chants of "cheats" echoed from the Kop, and a hostile wall of noise greeted Enzo Maresca side from the moment they stepped off their team coach.
Yet, as the final whistle blew on a painful 3-0 defeat for Andoni Iraola's depleted Reds, the hostility did not end on the pitch.
The walk down the Anfield tunnel transformed into a flashpoint of taunts and heated altercations leaving Liverpool supporters with plenty to digest as the post-match dust begins to settle.
Ndiaye’s parting shot: Former blue re-ignites derby rivalry
For former Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye, who joined Manchester City in the summer, the wall of noise from the Main Stand was never going to be met with a silent exit.
Having started for the Premier League leaders in their victory, Ndiaye made his way towards the tunnel amidst a torrent of jeers and verbal abuse from the home crowd.
Rather than quietly disappearing inside, the former Goodison favourite paused, turned back toward the Liverpool supporters, and shouted a cheeky parting message:
According to reports from the Liverpool Echo, Ndiaye even looked to make his way back out toward the pitch to soak in City’s victory, poking his head back out to remind the Anfield faithful where his local loyalties used to lie. For Reds in the stands, it was a classic provocative moment one that instantly re-ignited cross-town rivalry tensions following a disappointing 90 minutes.
Iliman Ndiaye taunts Liverpool fans at the final whistle "Up The Toffees." 😂 pic.twitter.com/qdBhByVGGo
— The Everton FC Podcast - All Together Now (@ATNCAST) October 12, 2026
Ndiaye was far from the only visitor to react under the pressure of Anfield's hostile reaction.
City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma became embroiled in a furious confrontation as he made his way off the pitch. The Italian shot-stopper appeared to take major exception to being branded a "cheat" by a fan near the tunnel entrance.
Footage shared across social media showed Donnarumma emerging back out from the tunnel mouth to confront the supporter directly. The pair briefly exchanged heated words before members of City's backroom staff were forced to intervene, physically pulling the keeper away from the altercation and escorting him inside.
While City maintain their innocence and have officially appealed the commission's ruling on 114 alleged breaches, the scene outside the tunnel provided a stark glimpse of the reception they are bound to face across the country for the remainder of the campaign.
😳 Gianluigi Donnarumma clearly didn't like being called a cheat by Liverpool fans 🎥 pic.twitter.com/lHpLtvejR9
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) October 12, 2026
From a Liverpool perspective, the afternoon was frustrating on every front. Iraola was forced to navigate the fixture without key attacking figures with Alexander Isak, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Cody Gakpo all sidelined following the international break.
While the defeat hurts and the tunnel antics naturally rile up the fan base, the Reds have little time to dwell on Sunday's chaos. Iraola's side must immediately pivot to continental duty as they set to face LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday, looking to maintain their 100% record in the league phase before returning to domestic action away at Brentford on Saturday.
Anfield has seen its fair share of tunnel drama over the decades, but as the fallout from City's financial case continues to dominate headlines, this post-match flashpoint won't be forgotten anytime soon.
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