Manchester City have condemned “inappropriate chants from home fans” during Saturday’s 4-1 Premier League win over Liverpool.

A section of supporters were heard calling Liverpool fans “victims” in the first half of the game at the Etihad in response to travelling appeals for Rodri to receive a second yellow card.

A City statement shortly after the full-time whistle read: “Manchester City are disappointed to have heard inappropriate chants from home fans during today’s game.

“We regret any offence these chants may have caused and will continue to work with supporters groups and officials from both clubs to eradicate hateful chanting from this fixture.”

Senior Anfield officials were “sickened” that vile chanting once again blighted this fixture and welcomed City’s condemnation.

The Premier League said in a statement: “The Premier League condemns the chanting heard during today’s match between Manchester City and Liverpool. The League is treating the issue of tragedy chanting as a priority and as a matter of urgency.”

Some City fans were heard singing offensive chants about the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which led to 97 football fans losing their lives, during the reverse Premier League fixture at Anfield in October.

The Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance contacted City, asking them to make a public statement condemning the songs.

City did not publish their response publicly but — as The Athletic reported — apologised in a private reply and said that they would “contact all of our season ticket and matchday members to reiterate that this type of hateful chanting and singing has no place in the game.”

Several incidents involving both sets of supporters have marred the fixture in recent seasons.

The clubs released a joint statement condemning crowd trouble in the Carabao Cup tie and Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan personally apologised to the family of a 15-year-old Manchester City fan who was injured when she was hit by a plastic glass weighted by coins thrown from the away section during that game.

After a Premier League fixture at Anfield in October, City alleged to the police that their bus had been attacked, and that coins had been thrown at manager Pep Guardiola. Liverpool accused visiting fans of singing chants about the Hillsborough disaster, as well as causing damage to facilities in the away end.

Saturday’s game at the Etihad finished 4-1 as City came from a goal down to ease to victory.

Mohamed Salah had opened the scoring but Julian Alvarez hit back, before second-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish.

(Photo: Getty Images)