The last clash between Liverpool and Manchester City ended up being a heated affair, and FA officers do not want a repeat of the incidents that saw Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp seemingly involved in all controversies, which has prompted the competition's executives to share a few guidelines with the bosses to keep things calm during the game and once it has come to an end.
If you remember correctly, the last encounter between these teams ended after an intense one-nil win for Klopp's men, but scenes within the stadium had Liverpool fans allegedly throwing coins at Pep Guardiola, while Manchester City supporters left some disgusting grafitti mocking the Hillsborough tragedy.
With that in mind, FA officers have urged Guardiola and Klopp to follow a code of conduct to prevent any of those behaviors on and away from the pitch, as stated by Liverpool's first assistant, Pep Lijnders.
"Top sport is emotional, top sport is about going to the edge, it's about seeing the line, but you halt yourself. So I think the ones who control their emotions are the ones who are first. So control your emotions, don't let your emotional control you. We are an example, our team," Lijnders stated.
Then, the Dutch assistant that took Klopp's place in the presser admitted that the actions taken by both clubs were quite significant to put an end to any issues.
"Let me first say that it's very positive that both clubs are co-operating. We have made a good statement. Billy and Ferran made a good statement, I think it's really clear," the Dutchman added.
The press conference concluded with Lijnders admitting how relevant the game can be for each coach on the long run, but ultimately, he urged players and everyone involved to keep calm even if things turn a bit complicated during the clash.
"The only reason why there's a rivalry is because the games matter, the games are decisive. We know that playing City has this importance to our jobs. With rivalry comes emotion and that's good because we need emotion from the stands we need emotion for our players. We need to feel these games matter in each second of the game. The only problem with emotion is when there's no respect it becomes really harmful," Lijnders concluded.
