Making a stand: Hillsborough grief unites two of football’s fiercest rivals

Following pleas from the managers and players of both sides in the run up to yesterday’s game, which United won 2-1, for rival fans to respect the 96 killed in the tragedy, an emotional tribute was paid before the match.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra ensured a reconciliatory start to the afternoon as they joined the other players in a pre-match handshake less than a year after Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing the United defender and banned for eight games.

Players of both teams wore the number 96 on their tracksuit tops in tribute to those who died, while captains Steven Gerrard and Ryan Giggs released 96 red balloons.

United legend Sir Bobby Charlton carried a bouquet of 96 roses to hand to former Liverpool striker Ian Rush. As the supporters sang the traditional anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone, a mosaic was displayed around three sides of the The Hillsborough Independent Panel absolved the club’s supporters of any responsibility for the 1989 tragedy, and criticised South Yorkshire Police and the emergency services for an establishment cover-up.

The panel found up to 41 of those killed could have been saved.