After all that scandal, after all that debate, Manchester City’s honor guard for Premier League champion Liverpool fell like a wet squib.
With all of the Citizens players maintaining social distancing protocols, they enthusiastically applauded Jurgen Klopp’s mental monsters as they made their way to the Etihad Stadium turf.
The #LFC #MCILIV honor guard? pic.twitter.com/hLMED0ECjY
– Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) July 2, 2020
The Reds are on honor guard at the Etihad ?? # MCILIV pic.twitter.com/oVuEuBUR0n
– Liverpool FC (Premier League Champions?) (@LFC) July 2, 2020
In fact, the event was so boring for some City players that many even chose to sneak down the tunnel before all the Reds’ players finished walking past them.
The bloody cheek, right? As expected, Liverpool’s Twitter was unhappy.
Jajajah city players walking before the whole Liverpool team beat them, lovely
– Stuart Broad Headband Ultra (@ ThatChris1209) July 2, 2020
The saltiest honor guard EVRR LMAOOOOOOOOOO
– CHAMP19NS (@Kashaveli_) July 2, 2020
Social distancing means that we have the longest honor guard in history. Ahhhhhh
– Tommy (@ TLister77) July 2, 2020
I was wondering what it would be like when Man City gave us the Honor Guard, but it was exactly what I thought it would be, they just applauded us.
– Boring James Milner (@BoringMilner) July 2, 2020
And, of course, fans at other clubs were quick to remind the Redmen that their honor guard was not as good as theirs.
Childish, really. Still, quite funny in a mean way.
The honor guard of every honor guard. Neither comes close to this. pic.twitter.com/751no6tOqo
– The Man Utd Way (@TheManUtdWay) July 2, 2020
Never forget that Leicester has an honor guard on Stamford Bridge
– Lewis (@ lcfc_lewisV2) July 2, 2020
Despite the fact that the honor guard ended up being a bit disappointing, the fireworks that suddenly started going off outside the stadium about ten minutes after launch, more than made up for it.
This spontaneous entertainment in a monotonous opening of the game soon spawned a series of conspiracy theories about who was responsible.
Gary Neville even joined the comments, claiming that his partner in crime, Jamie Carragher, was the culprit. However, Twitter had a few other ideas.
9. Many fireworks can be heard from outside the Etihad, it is good to hear that the victory of the Carabao Cup in March has not yet been forgotten! ?
? 0-0? #Man of city
– Manchester City (@ManCity) July 2, 2020
The city fireworks?
– Alexander? (@AlexanderJonckh) July 2, 2020
Who is in Etihad with fireworks? ?
– Roopa * (@LFC_RV) July 2, 2020
Liverpool fans have popped up with Firworks at the Etihad and the fireworks weren’t even good enough to see from inside the stadium. pic.twitter.com/v9yUKUMf1T
– Rusty B ⚽️ ?? (@ StretfordEnd_10) July 2, 2020
