Bitter barstewards...
Reds say sorry
Liverpool have apologised to Manchester United for the behaviour of their supporters during last month's FA Cup fifth-round tie at Anfield.
The club and Merseyside police conducted an investigation into disturbances, during which objects, including human excrement, coins and food, were thrown at United supporters in the Anfield Road stand. Liverpool's stadium and operations manager Ged Poynton has written to United admitting standards had "fallen short".
He said: "We deplore what certain fans have done. I class anyone who wants to throw a coin or something else when they are leaving as cowards. I am ashamed to admit in one case excrement was thrown. How low can you get? We did what we could, we tried to brush people down and compensated those involved. But I have never seen anything like it before."
Tensions between the rival clubs had been running higher than usual going into the match - won 1-0 by Liverpool - following the controversial end to their league clash at Old Trafford the previous month when United's Gary Neville celebrated in front of Liverpool fans after Rio Ferdinand had headed a late winner.