Man City fans boo Premier League anthem as City go six points clear
Manchester City supporters booed the Premier League anthem and waved inflatable bananas during their side's win over Ipswich, which left City six points clear at the top under Enzo Maresca.
Manchester City fans booed the Premier League anthem before kick-off at Etihad Stadium in their first top-flight home game since the club was found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. Tens of thousands of supporters jeered the anthem, then chanted the club's name. The mood shifted as the match wore on, with chants including a joke about playing Stockport away and a taunt toward Ipswich's travelling fans.
Hundreds of inflatable bananas had been placed on seats in the home sections for supporters to wave, turning the stadium into a sea of yellow. The inflatables recall a late-1980s fan craze. Their revival comes as City have appealed after being found guilty of charges relating to breaches of the league's financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, including creating 'sham contracts' to inflate sponsorship deals by £830m.
Phil Foden, back after suspension following his red card against Manchester United on 13 September, scored the 19th-minute opener, his first goal of 2026, and later brought an inflatable banana into his Match of the Day interview. He said the fans were behind the team and pushing them on. Enzo Maresca, the first manager in Premier League history to win his first seven games in charge, said he felt the defiance from the stands before kick-off and described the environment as very good, with fans, club and players together. The game drew 60,817, a record crowd at Etihad Stadium.
Maresca said he did not expect to win seven out of seven and praised his players' daily work and improvement. He said City controlled the game for 95 minutes, created chances and scored, and finished with a little suffering together. On Foden, he said he has loved the player since day one and wants to help him again be one of the Premier League's best.
This is City's best start to a league season in 129 years, according to the article. Only Chelsea in 2005-06 and Liverpool in 2019-20 had previously won the first seven matches of a Premier League campaign, and both went on to win the title. Maresca said his players are not worried about outside judgment and are happy inside, adding that he gives them credit.
