Police are appealing for witnesses after a girl suffered an inch-long laceration to her head during Manchester City’s Carabao Cup match with Liverpool last week.
The 15-year-old girl was sitting among home supporters in the South Stand of the Etihad Stadium on Thursday 22 December when she was struck by a hard plastic cup weighed down with coins, believed to have been thrown from a section of Liverpool fans sitting in the upper tier.
The cup shattered on impact and left her bleeding from a deep gash to the head. She was taken to hospital for medical attention.
Her father later submitted a picture of his daughter’s bloodied City scarf and told the Manchester Evening News that she would be “scarred for life” by the injury. He also said he had been contacted by Liverpool’s chief executive, Billy Hogan, who apologised for the incident.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are appealing for information to help with their investigation.
“GMP will not tolerate violent or malicious behaviour in any situation, this does NOT exclude football matches or sports games,” superintendent Gareth Parking said. “Clearly throwing objects in a confined area can be dangerous and have serious and sometimes devastating consequences.
“We are continuing to investigate this incident and would urge those who attended the game who know who is responsible or could have any information to assist us further, to please come forward.”
Both clubs have pledged to look into the various disturbances during the cup tie, which City won 3-2.
Liverpool disabled supporters suffered alleged racial abuse, with a City supporter thrown out of the stadium and arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence. Another two men were detained by police on suspicion of trying to take a pyrotechnic into the ground, while GMP confirmed a 53-year-old male required hospital treatment, having been assaulted after the game outside the stadium.
The two clubs have become the dominant forces in English football over recent years and an often ugly rivalry has spawned between the two sets of supporters. Liverpool fans infamously attacked the Manchester City bus arriving at Anfield for a Champions League quarter-final in April 2018 and there have been a number of unsavoury incidents since that night, including City fans chanting about the Hillsborough disaster.
The clubs’ joint statement after the game said: “Manchester City FC, Liverpool FC and the chairs from our supporter groups have worked together in recent weeks to remind fans of our expectations and both clubs would like to thank the vast majority of fans for their behaviour at last night’s Carabao Cup match at the Etihad Stadium.
“It is however hugely disappointing that there were a number of incidents during last night’s match that are wholly unacceptable.
“These incidents will be fully investigated, reported to the police and the individuals who are found to be responsible will be subject to the sanction process of their respective club.
“Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC are fully committed to working together to eradicate these issues from our fixtures. They have no place in football.”
GMP added: “You can report any information to us by calling 101 or report information online via our reporting tool on our website: www.gmp.police.uk quoting log 1880 of 22/12/2022. Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
