Manchester United and Liverpool, stars of the most significant rivalry in English football, will set aside their differences for once and protest together for a greater good, that affects all fans: the exorbitant prices of tickets for football matches.
As reported by The Telegraph, fans of both clubs will demonstrate at their Premier League match on January 5 in Anfield, under one powerful banner, launched by the Football Supporters' Association's (FSA): Stop Exploiting Loyalty.
"It's akin to being in an abusive relationship, there is only so much you can take before you walk away", said Steve Crompton from FC58, a Manchester United supporters' group. "It's a worrying time for traditional fans. The atmosphere is disappearing because ordinary match-going fans are dropping by the wayside".
"As fierce as the rivalry is, United and Liverpool fans coming together sends a very powerful message", he added. Meanwhile, a representative from Liverpool's supporters' group Spirit of Shankly (SOS) echoed his feelings: "I've grown up in an area where Manchester United was this team that you hate. The rivalry is deep-seated but this transcends all that. There is a common cause here and a lot that unites us, one being the social and economic challenges in both cities".
Manchester United rose tickets to £66 with no discounts for children or pensioners
Manchester United fans were enraged when the club raised tickets to £66 per game, a flat price that has no concessions for children of pensioners as it used to be, shortly after the club fired Erik then Hag and paid £11 million to Sporting Lisboa for the release clause of new coach Ruben Amorim.
In practice, this measure only affects "3%" of tickets for the remaining season, as most were already sold, the club said. But, facing the possibility of this change becoming permanent, Manchester United fans have been protestating during their latest home games.
Other teams including Manchester City and Everton have also protested over prices raising from 2%-5% this season.