Today’s back pages: Liverpool vs Man City flare up, Man Utd win

Premier League bus-t up

With just a few days to go until the clash of the season between Liverpool and Manchester City the hype is building and several papers lead on fears over the safety of City’s team bus, which could be targeted by fans before the game.

“City are concerned the coach could be attacked by Liverpool fans as it was in April 2018 before the Champions League quarter-final when bottles, cans and flares were thrown. Although no players or staff were injured, the vehicle was left unsafe to drive,” says The Guardian.

“While the clubs are in constant dialogue in the build-up to the game – as is normal practice – it is understood the problem has been raised at executive level by City. They expect it to be taken seriously and want a guarantee from Liverpool there will be no repeat of the scenes of 18 months ago.”

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The Daily Mirror does little to soothe the situation, explaining: “The rivalry between City and Liverpool has become increasingly bitter in recent seasons, [and]… both managers have fuelled the animosity in the build-up to the showdown, with Pep Guardiola branding Sadio Mane a diver and Klopp accusing the City boss of being too preoccupied with Liverpool, as well as throwing in a jibe about City’s perceived ‘tactical fouls’.”

Man Utd find form

Manchester United finally produced the goods for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they turned in a fine performance at Old Trafford to beat Partizan Belgrade 3-0.

There were goals from Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford on a rare night of celebration for United’s fans.

“It was a night to focus on the positives, to cherish them and let the confidence flow in a team that has spluttered and coughed its way through so much of the season,” says the Daily Telegraph. “For the first time in weeks, United look in a healthy condition again.

“The fact it came against a Partizan Belgrade team who sit fourth in the Serbian League does not matter for now. Having decided to pick a side that looked close to full strength for the first time in Europe, Solskjaer was rewarded with an impressive victory and, perhaps more importantly, an attacking display that led to almost total domination of their opponents.”

Celtic make history

North of the border there was another result to savour as Celtic won a European tie in Italy for the first time in their history as they beat Lazio in Rome and booked a place in the knockout stages of the Europa League.

The Scottish Daily Herald salutes Neil Lennon’s Gladiators on its back page.