Liverpool FC FA Youth Cup tie hit by chaos on and off the pitch

Mar 14 2011 Liverpool Echo

Liverpool FC FA Youth Cup tie hit by chaos on and off the pitch

LIVERPOOL’S FA Youth Cup match with Manchester United descended into chaos at Anfield yesterday, with four red cards on the pitch and a series of arrests off it.

Three United fans were arrested and six ejected from the ground while two more were spoken to after allegedly setting off flares.

The general behaviour of the visiting supporters marred the normally good-natured mood at Youth Cup matches, as a section of them sang vile chants throughout about the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters.

A United spokesman said: “Singing songs about the Hillsborough and Heysel tragedies is disgraceful. We will deal harshly with anyone brought to our attention.”

Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge, who was a player in 1989 when 96 Liverpool fans died in a crush before the FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough, also expressed his disgust with the chants from the away end.

He said: “I have never seen anything like that before at a youth game and I never want to see anything like it again. It was disgusting.

“You get used to banter from United fans when they come to Anfield but to hear those songs about Heysel and Hillsborough was just horrible. The level of abuse was absolutely sickening. There was evidently a group who had just come to cause problems and I felt sorry for the families in the Manchester United end who just wanted to watch a game of football.”

The atmosphere on the field also deteriorated after five minutes of madness just on the hour that changed the whole complexion of the tie which Rodolfo Borrell’s side led 2-0 thanks to two goals from Adam Morgan.

In a frantic last half-hour referee David Coote brandished four red cards – two to each side. Liverpool’s Stephen Sama and captain Conor Coady were dismissed and United’s Paul Pogba and Tyler Blackett also made an early departure.

United eventually fought back to win 3-2.

l For a full report and reaction, see Sport Xtra