Van Dijk warns City players to expect hostile receptions
Liverpool captain suggests Manchester City will face continued crowd hostility following financial rule-breaking findings.
At a glance
- Van Dijk suggested Manchester City will face hostile receptions at multiple grounds, not just Anfield
- City players were barracked during their first match since being found guilty of financial rule violations
- An independent commission found City overstated income by £830.69m between 2009 and 2018
- Van Dijk said he would comment on City's rule-breaking after their appeal concludes
Virgil van Dijk has indicated that Manchester City players should anticipate hostile atmospheres at opposing grounds following their recent treatment by Liverpool supporters. The Liverpool captain noted that City were barracked throughout Sunday's match at Anfield, their first game since an independent commission found them guilty of almost all charges related to breaking Premier League financial rules between 2009 and 2018.
Van Dijk said he intends to express his views on City's rule-breaking but indicated he would wait until their appeal process concludes. An independent commission determined that City had overstated their income by £830.69m and would have breached spending regulations in the Premier League and Europe had they provided accurate financial information.
Why it matters
Manchester City's financial rule-breaking findings have drawn significant public reaction, with the case potentially affecting how the club is treated by opposing supporters across the league.
Original reporting
- The Guardian — SportVirgil van Dijk warns Manchester City players to get used to hostile atmospheres
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.