Ten arrested and officer injured as City's visit to Anfield overshadowed by financial charges verdict

Ten people arrested and a police officer left with a serious facial injury. That was the toll outside the lines of the pitch from Manchester City's visit to Anfield, the first match for Pep Guardiola's side since the verdict finding them guilty of financial rule breaches was announced, a ruling the club has already appealed.

Merseyside Police confirmed the final count from the operation and made clear that tensions were running high well before kickoff. Hundreds of fans gathered outside the stadium ahead of the match, and City's team bus had to enter through a rear gate to avoid the crowd. Once inside, the visiting side was greeted with banners, angry chants and whistles for much of the game.

The heated atmosphere, however, was not confined to the stands. According to the police statement, the arrests included one man detained on suspicion of two counts of assaulting an officer, five people arrested on suspicion of chants related to tragedies, one person arrested on suspicion of drunk and disorderly conduct involving assault, two for public order offenses and one more on suspicion of throwing objects onto the pitch.

The most serious incident came after the final whistle. At around 6:35 p.m., as fans were leaving the stadium, an officer suffered a serious facial injury during the arrest of a man on Anfield Road. The officer was taken to hospital for treatment and, according to the report, is now recovering at home.

Chief Inspector Leanne Hobin was blunt about the chants related to tragedies, one of the issues that drew the most attention among the arrests.

Football fans who sing chants about tragedies cause enormous distress to the loved ones of those who died, and that behavior has absolutely no place in football.Leanne Hobin

Hobin also explained that the authorities' work does not end with arrests made on matchday.

We will continue working with clubs to take action, identify those responsible and bring them to justice. I hope today's arrests send a clear message and serve as a warning to others. Anyone who engages in this abhorrent behavior risks ending up arrested with a criminal record.Leanne Hobin

The backdrop to the match goes a long way toward explaining why the atmosphere at Anfield felt different from an ordinary Sunday in the Premier League. Just days after the verdict finding City guilty of financial rule breaches was confirmed, Liverpool became the first opponent to host the champions under that cloud, and the home fans made sure to let it be known, both in the streets and inside the stadium.