Why Liverpool fans may be blaming the wrong man after Marc Guehi Anfield boos | OneFootball

Liverpool fans made their feelings crystal clear at Anfield today, greeting Marc Guehi with a chorus of boos as his name was announced in the Manchester City starting lineup.

The hostile reception, as reported by James Pearce, marked Guehi’s first visit to Merseyside since his high-profile transfer saga, with the Anfield faithful evidently holding a grudge against the defender who slipped through their fingers.

However, as the jeers echoed around the stadium, questions are being raised about whether the supporters’ anger is directed at the wrong target.

Guehi had a move to Liverpool collapse last summer

The animosity stems from the dramatic events of the summer 2025 transfer window.

Guehi was reportedly hours away from becoming a Liverpool player, with a £35 million deal agreed and a medical scheduled.

The England international was poised to anchor the Reds’ defence, only for Crystal Palace to pull the plug at the eleventh hour.

Palace chairman Steve Parish blocked the move after the Eagles failed to secure a replacement, leaving both Guehi and Liverpool in limbo.

The defender had been keen on the switch, but the collapse of the deal was ultimately out of his hands, a detail seemingly forgotten by the home crowd today.

(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Guehi moved to Man City in January

The narrative took a bitter turn for Liverpool in January 2026. With Guehi entering the final six months of his contract, Manchester City swooped in to sign him for a cut-price £20 million fee.

Crucially, the financial package offered by the champions was something Liverpool were reportedly unwilling to match.

Reports indicate City handed Guehi a staggering wage packet, rumoured to be upwards of £200,000 per week, which would have shattered Liverpool’s strict wage structure for a new signing.

While Liverpool hesitated, City paid up, securing one of the league’s best defenders for a bargain transfer fee.

Liverpool should direct anger towards the board

While the boos for Guehi add theatre to the spectacle, the reality is that the player is not the villain of this piece. He did not reject Liverpool in the summer; the move was taken away from him.

When January arrived, he joined the club that showed the most ambition and financial commitment to secure his signature.

If the Anfield crowd is looking for someone to blame for seeing Guehi in sky blue today, they might do better to turn their ire toward the directors’ box.

The failure to get the deal over the line in the summer, followed by a refusal to compete financially in the winter, lies squarely with the Liverpool board, not the player who simply moved on when the Reds stood still.