- National anthem played to mark Coronation
- Liverpool fans around Anfield chanted over it
- Reflects deep-rooted feelings
WHAT HAPPENED? The United Kingdom crowned a new monarch following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, with the Premier League requesting clubs up and down the country sing the national anthem of 'God Save The King' before each match. Despite controversy over a potential backlash, Liverpool went ahead with the pre-game ritual due to being put in a perceived impossible situation by the league. The anthem, predictably, was given a hostile reception at Anfield, though there was less booing than expected. Instead, fans chanted "Liverpool" during it before moving into YNWA immediately afterwards.
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WHY DID LIVERPOOL FANS CHANT? The act of dissent reflects a wider sentiment among Liverpudlians of feeling more attached to their city than the country as a whole. Another such example is the flag bearing the words 'Scouse not English', which can often be seen at Anfield. This resentment stems from decades of perceived mistreatment from Conservative-led governments, especially during the era of Margaret Thatcher. The then-UK Prime Minister was viewed locally as indifferent to the industrial decline of Merseyside, leading to widespread unemployment and poverty.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The Hillsborough disaster also plays a role in the hatred of many Liverpudlians towards Conservative governments and thus, by extension, the state as a whole. Former MP Irvine Patnick lied about Liverpool supporters involved in the 1989 tragedy.
AND WHAT'S MORE: The reaction on Saturday, then, reflect not necessarily a hatred for the monarchy, or the new monarch King Charles III, but instead the state that they represent. In the eyes of many Liverpool fans, the UK has continuously failed them, which is why the national anthem is met with such hostility.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
Next Match
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Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL: After Saturday's league matchup against Brentford, Jurgen Klopp's side will aim to keep up their faint top-four hopes alive against relegation-threatened Leicester on May 15.