Liverpool supporters were left puzzled during the Premier League clash against Leeds United when an announcement for 'Operation Anfield Exercise' was made over the stadium tannoy. The announcement, made during the first half of the match at Anfield, was a routine safety drill, not an actual evacuation.
George Sephton, the 'Voice of Anfield', previously explained the procedure. 'Operation Anfield is what would happen if there was a catastrophe going on and we needed to empty the stadium,' he said in an interview. 'If there was a terrorist bomb threat, a major fire or an explosion in the kitchens, whatever – if we had to operate Operation Anfield everybody would be out of the stadium in two or three minutes.'
Sephton clarified that the exercise involved stewards practising their roles without moving fans from the stands. 'Operation Anfield Exercise means that we practice without actually moving anybody out of the stadium,' he added. The match continued as normal, with no disruption to play.
The goalless first half saw little action on the pitch, making the announcement the most notable event of the opening 45 minutes. Liverpool entered 2026 in the top four after an eight-match unbeaten streak following a difficult autumn. Arne Slot's side will next face Fulham on 4 January before a trip to Arsenal on 8 January.
