Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan was besieged. His own supporters hurled abuse incessantly, The Kop applauded, and the target of what can only be described as Tan's corporate bullying, his coach Malky Mackay, found himself among friends. Anfield is usually considered a fortress, but even in defeat it must have been like a sanctuary to the Cardiff manager.
When Mackay finally took his seat in the Anfield press room an hour after the final whistle, the Cardiff fans were still singing his name, demanding his continued employment and calling for Tan's resignation.
It is rare that the beaten manager on Merseyside gets a standing ovation from both sets of supporters, but there was no desire to trample on any graves here. ''You're being sacked in the morning,'' is the usual chant of choice. But when the dismissal has already been confirmed before kick-off, the football community has a habit of showing it does have a conscience after all.
