MANCHESTER UNITED and Liverpool fans could face up to six months in prison if they display vile banners this weekend.
Behaviour from fans before, during and after Sunday’s clash will be under the microscope following pictures of sickening messages that emerged the last time the great clubs met at Old Trafford.
Ahead of their Europa League quarter-final encounter last March, supporters were spotted draping messages above motorways.
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One showed the date of the Hillsborough tragedy and ‘murderers’ written on it.
Another merely read: ‘Man b*******’.
Violence and disgusting fighting also marred the game, which finished 1-1 and saw Liverpool progress thanks to their 2-0 first-leg victory.
Both clubs were later fined around £44,000 each for throwing objects and other crowd disturbances, with fans seen fighting in the stands.
And SunSport understands that the banners alone could see fans handed six-month prison sentences under the Communications Act 2003.
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Greater Manchester Police are operating a booze ban in the city centre ahead of kick-off to avoid clashes between fans.
The game at Anfield in October this season, which ended in a 0-0 draw, passed without any major incident despite the dangers of its 8pm kick-off, albeit on a Monday.
Fans had been warned that anybody singing abhorrent songs about the United's Munich disaster or the Hillsborough tradgedy would be thrown out, before both sets of supporters were later praised for good behaviour.
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