Fresh video footage has emerged appearing to show Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma engaged in a heated confrontation with Liverpool supporters after his side's victory on Sunday. The incident seemingly unfolded as the City players were heading towards the Anfield tunnel following the final whistle.
Enzo Maresca's side faced a challenging away fixture on Merseyside after the international break. The match carried extra significance as it was their first outing since an independent commission determined the club had breached 114 financial regulations covering the period from 2009 to 2018. City have strongly rejected the findings and lodged a formal appeal.
Hostile atmosphere at Anfield
Liverpool supporters made their feelings known through several banners and a hostile environment. The City squad were met with jeers during their warm-up and faced even louder boos once the match got underway, though it did not affect their performance.
After a dominant first half, Erling Haaland broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, just three minutes after Ryan Gravenberch was sent off for a second yellow card offence. The match then swung decisively in City's favour as two strikes from Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki sealed the triumph.
Footage shows confrontation
Tensions appeared to boil over after the final whistle. Footage circulating on social media shows Donnarumma returning from the tunnel to engage in heated exchanges with supporters before being ushered away.
In the clip, Donnarumma can be seen walking towards the dressing room with several team-mates before re-emerging from the tunnel, with jeers from the home fans audible throughout. The Italian shot-stopper then moves closer to a group of supporters as stewards attempt to guide him away. What appears to be City personnel then pull the goalkeeper back as he seems to direct words at the fans. Others then apparently chant "cheat" at him as he disappears down the tunnel permanently.
Maresca addresses the atmosphere
Maresca addressed the charged atmosphere after the victory. He said: "We were all together. For the importance of the game, Liverpool away, I think it's a good idea for the club to be all together. It's togetherness that in this moment we need.
"It was not easy for the players after the past two or three weeks but I think they handled the situation very well. I said during the week, we need to learn how to deal with the outside noise.
"Because of the situation, the noise will always be there so we need to learn how to deal with it. At the same time, we need try to make our noise by winning games like we did today.
"At the end of the game, it was our fans singing so the noise was from us and not from the Liverpool fans. To win at Anfield is a great result, for sure.
"In this moment, all of the organisation needs this kind of a win so it's good for us as a coaching staff, it's good for the players, it's good for the fans. This kind of a win is good for the whole club."
