Man City fans drown out Premier League anthem with boos before Aston Villa game

Sun, 12 Feb, 2023 - 17:43

By Andy Hampson, PA

Manchester City fans drowned out the Premier League anthem with boos prior to kick-off of their clash with Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

The match was the champions’ first outing since they were charged with 115 breaches of the competition’s Financial Fair Play regulations on Monday.

The club have strongly denied any wrongdoing and the fans’ protest echoed their long-standing booing of the Champions League anthem over perceived injustices from European governing body UEFA.

Manchester City's Etihad Stadium — Manchester City were charged with 115 breaches of the competition’s Financial Fair Play regulations on Monday (Peter Byrne/PA)

Manager Pep Guardiola had urged the club and fans to “move closer together than ever” in a passionate defence of the club on Friday.

There were further chants deriding the Premier League and songs in support of owner Sheikh Mansour.

A banner was also unfurled bearing a message, ‘Pannick on the streets of London’, in reference to Lord Pannick, the lawyer City have hired to fight their case.

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