Tension at Anfield: inflatable bananas challenge City after 114 charges

Manchester City beat Liverpool 3‑0 this Sunday at Anfield, in a match shrouded in tension after the verdict that found the club guilty of 114 financial infringements in the Premier League. Security was extreme, with drones patrolling the surroundings and the City bus diverted to a secondary entrance.

Protests and extreme security at Anfield

Amid protest banners and the classic inflatable bananas, the ‘citizen’ fans lived their day of celebration. Police deployed drones and recorded the supporters, while the City bus was diverted to a secondary entrance to avoid a concentration of local fans, referencing the 2018 incident with its coach. ONE of the most striking displays included placards with 114 pound symbols and the message “After all, you really robbed us all”. The Premier League decision sparked a wave of protests, and Man was at the centre of the debate.

The inflatable bananas, a tradition dating back to 1987, were waved by City supporters. Noel Gallagher, member of Oasis, attended the meeting among the visiting fans.

Stadium B pro posted on Twitter: “Separated by a metre and saying everything, but ending up only in that as is usually customary in England. That’s how the arrival of Manchester City fans at Anfield was”. The tweet, dated 11 October 2026, shows the arrival of Manchester City fans at Anfield.

Victory on the pitch and impact in the Premier

On the pitch, the side coached by Enzo Maresca secured the rout after the dismissal of Ryan Gravenberch in the 62nd minute. With one player less, Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool fell apart: Erling Haaland put City ahead in the 65th, Jeremy Doku extended the lead in the 68th and Rayan Cherki sealed the score in the 78th. The result left City with three clear points at the top of the table.

Despite the loss, the Spanish Víctor Muñoz, summer signing of Liverpool, was regarded as the best on the pitch. His electrifying performance down the wing stood out until Gravenberch’s dismissal, when City’s superiority proved decisive.

City fans displayed their rebellion by waving hundreds of inflatable bananas and a flag that read “In Khaldoon We Trust”. Phil McNulty wrote: “With this as the backdrop, City strode into this fevered Anfield atmosphere, with Liverpool fans high on adrenaline”.

City have appealed against the 114 charges and the uncertainty over the sanction keeps the Premier League in a state of limbo. WHETHER the decision is favourable or not, the tension persists between the two clubs. Still, the team maintained its perfect record, adding three points that left them three clear points at the top of the table.

Banana day was recorded as one of the most talked‑about images of the year, highlighting the blend of football, protest and spectacle that characterised the clash. The combination of protests, heightened security and a decisive victory marked a singular chapter in the recent history of the Premier League.