MANCHESTER UNITED will be given an allocation of more than 6,000 tickets when they visit Anfield for their FA Cup clash with Liverpool later this month. Alex Ferguson’s men travel to Merseyside on the weekend of 28/29 January for what is sure to be a fiercely-contested fourth-round fixture, with relations between the two clubs fractured by the fallout from Reds striker Luis Suarez’s FA charge.
But having cut United’s allocation to less than 2,000 tickets for October’s Premier League clash, Liverpool will now be forced to treble it for the cup clash, after Liverpool City Council performed a surprise U-turn.
The council had acted upon complaints that United fans blocked aisles when visiting Anfield previously, causing serious safety concerns. Subsquently, they slashed United’s allocation for October’s 1-1 draw, issuing just 1,960 tickets instead of the 3,000 allowed for previous fixtures. But officials have now deemed that improved behaviour by travelling supporters during that meeting meant no such recommendation would be made this time around.
And with FA Cup rules stating that away clubs are entitled to 15 per cent of the host venue’s capacity, it means that United could bring as many as 6,500 supporters to Merseyside to supplement what is already a potentially powderkeg atmosphere. Liverpool remain unhappy with the eight-game ban given to Suarez for abusing United defender Patrice Evra back in October.
The Uruguyan will be suspended for the clash, but the FA is expected to contact both clubs ahead of the game to remind them of their responsibilities No kick-off time has been set for the fixture, it is understood, however, that a noon or early-afternoon kick-off will be recommended by police and council chiefs.