Liverpool will play the national anthem at Anfield before Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Brentford as a mark of respect for the Coronation of King Charles.
Club officials have agreed to the request from the Premier League in line with all top-flight fixtures.
Liverpool did not wish to be accused of disrespect towards the new monarch by refusing to do so, despite being aware many fans do not support the decision.
However, the club has said it is a matter of ‘personal choice’ how the fans inside the stadium react.
“Before kick-off and in recognition of the Premier League’s request to mark the Coronation, players and officials will congregate around the centre circle when the national anthem will be played,” read a club statement.
“It is, of course, a personal choice how those at Anfield on Saturday mark this occasion and we know some supporters have strong views on it.”
Liverpool consulted with stakeholders, including supporters groups, before taking the decision and noted opposition to be forced to play the anthem.
However, they felt they were placed in an impossible position by the Premier League and had no choice but to fall in line.
Liverpool supporters have a history of jeering the national anthem when the club appears in Wembley finals, or to sing the club anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. The attitudes date back to the 1980s, when the club felt the British establishment deserted the city. Feelings hardened after the Hillsborough disaster, and while no personal animosity has ever been directed towards the Royal Family, the anthem has been perceived as a symbol of the instruments of state which Liverpool fans believe let them down.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II in September also saw the national anthem played at Anfield, where the overwhelming majority of fans stood in respectful silence.
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