Report: Manchester City Coaching Staff Spat at During 2-2 Draw With Liverpool

Liverpool has opened an investigation into a complaint from the Manchester City backroom staff that a fan spat at the coaches during Sunday's 2-2 draw at Anfield.

Liverpool is investigating a formal complaint issued by the Manchester City backroom staff that a fan spat at the coaches during Sunday's 2-2 draw at Anfield, according to ESPN. 

The incident occurred after Manchester City's first goal in the 69th minute when Phil Foden tied that match at 1-1, and there is reportedly footage of the perpetrator. Man City manager Pep Guardiola said he hopes the club will take action 

"I don't know what happened," Guardiola told Sky Sports after the game. "I heard something from the crowd, something not nice to staff. But I don't know what exactly. I didn't see the images. I'm pretty sure that if it happened, what the people told me, I'm sure Liverpool will take measures about this person. Liverpool is much greater than this behavior.

"Nothing will change my admiration for this club. It was the same story two, three years ago when we came here and they destroyed our bus. It is certain people, not just Liverpool FC."

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Premier League has mandated an "exclusion zone" around the team dugouts at Anfield that distances the teams from the fans; however, that didn't stop an incident from occurring on Sunday. 

As Guardiola mentioned, it's not the first instance of an altercation between Manchester City and fans at Anfield. In 2018, fans attacked the Man City bus en route to the stadium before a Champions League match, breaking windows and forcing the City players and staff to take cover. 

Sunday's entertaining draw was highlighted by four second-half goals with Liverpool conceding two separate one-goal leads. After Sadio Mane's opener and the equalizer from Foden, Mohamed Salah put together a twisting, highlight-reel run in the 76th minute to give Liverpool a 2-1 lead.

Mohamed Salah…just, wow. What a goal to restore the lead for Liverpool after Phil Foden’s equalizer

(via @NBCSportsSoccer) pic.twitter.com/rePjUSewq0

— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) October 3, 2021

But Kevin De Bruyne pulled one back just five minutes later to seal the point for City, who defeated first-place Chelsea and lost to PSG in Champions League over the last week. One point behind Chelsea, Liverpool currently sits in second place on 15 points with Manchester City in a four-way tie for third with 14 points.