Why Man City Fans Brought Inflatable Bananas to Their First Match Since Guilty Verdict Against Liverpool

The clash between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield was always expected to be intense, and the visiting supporters were just as prepared for the occasion as the angry home crowd.
Manchester City arrived under intense scrutiny following reports that the club had been found guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. Their first match since the independent commission’s findings were released came against Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool side, setting the stage for a heated encounter.
As Liverpool fans booed the City players during their entrance onto the pitch, the away supporters responded by performing their famous Poznan celebration. Some were also spotted waving inflatable bananas, leaving many observers wondering why they had brought the unusual items to Anfield.
There is a history behind the inflatable bananas.
Manchester City supporters reportedly ordered large quantities of the inflatable fruit for the Liverpool match in an effort to revive an old tradition and demonstrate their continued support for the club during a difficult period.
The tradition dates back to August 1987, when City supporter Frank Newton reportedly brought a five-foot inflatable banana to Maine Road for a match against Plymouth Argyle. During a difficult period for the club, he borrowed the inflatable from a friend in an attempt to lift the mood among supporters.
Former Manchester City striker Imre Varadi also helped the craze gain momentum. Supporters in the Kippax Stand turned his surname into the chant ‘Imre Banana’, and the idea quickly caught on, with more fans bringing inflatable bananas to matches.
The trend reached its peak on Boxing Day in 1988, when more than 10,000 City supporters reportedly travelled to Stoke City’s Victoria Ground carrying inflatable bananas.
The City players embraced the unusual tradition, even running onto the pitch with the yellow inflatables before kick-off.
Decades later, the bananas have once again become a symbol of support for sections of the Manchester City fanbase.
With tensions running high at Anfield, the visiting supporters appeared determined to stand firmly behind their club despite the controversy surrounding the financial case. Many have continued to support City’s ownership, which has consistently denied wrongdoing.
The show of solidarity extended beyond the stadium. City supporters reportedly sang songs in pubs around Anfield, including one expressing their loyalty to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
The chant included the lyrics:
“Khaldoon, City’s in love with you. We’ll follow you down to League Two. We’re not arsed, until we’ve been charged.”
Al Mubarak remains a prominent figure in the controversy surrounding Manchester City, although he has made few public comments since the verdict was announced.
Reports also claimed that he met with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham shortly before the commission’s findings became official. The case has since prompted speculation about whether the wider relationship between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates could be affected.
Manchester City’s Financial Case: Key Developments
September 2026: The Athletic reported that Manchester City had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League financial charges.
September 2026: The Premier League confirmed the independent commission’s guilty findings against the club.
September 2026: CEO Ferran Soriano reportedly told staff that the ruling stemmed from what he described as a Premier League conspiracy theory.
October 2026: Manchester City lodged an appeal, arguing that the commission’s conclusions were unsafe and materially flawed.
October 2026: Reports emerged that Khaldoon Al Mubarak had met with a UK minister weeks before the verdict was announced.
Although Al Mubarak was not present at Anfield for the match, Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano attended alongside other club officials.
Soriano has also denied wrongdoing and maintained that the club possesses what he described as “irrefutable evidence”, which has been used in its appeal.
For the travelling supporters, the inflatable bananas offered a familiar way to show their loyalty during a turbulent period. Their appearance at Anfield revived a decades-old tradition and added another talking point to an already emotionally charged encounter between Liverpool and Manchester City.