Irish pubs in Liverpool have been advised to take down their Irish flags ahead of the visit of Rangers supporters.
Liverpool take on Rangers in a much-anticipated game in the group stages of the Champions League at Anfield at 8pm on Tuesday.
Supporters have already started arriving in Liverpool but Irish pubs in the city have been advised by police to take down Irish flags in case of any trouble from the Scottish fans.
Lanigan's Irish Bar in Liverpool is one of pubs that usually has tricolours hanging outside but has taken them down ahead of Tuesday night’s game.
READ MORE: What time and TV channel is Liverpool v Rangers on today in the Champions League?
Staff at the pub confirmed the move to the Irish Mirror, saying: “Yes, we were advised to by the police and by licensing to take them down. We were basically told we had to, along with a lot of other rules as well.”
Pubs in the city have also been given a number of orders to abide by in order to keep their patrons safe during the match. These rules include a ban on serving drinks in glasses, shutting up the windows and having extra security on the door.
“We’re not allowed to serve any [drinks] in glass, we have to make sure everything is in plastic [cups]”, Lanigan's staff said. “Outside furniture has been removed and put out the back of the pub.
“Windows [have] to be shut and we have extra door staff and things to keep everybody safe.”
Liverpool is historically known for its large Irish population and is often dubbed the 'second capital of Ireland' - with many Irish bars to show for it.
It is a huge game at Anfield tonight with both sides at risk of not making it through to the last 16 of the competition.
Irish-based fans can watch the match which will be broadcast live on RTE Two with coverage beginning at 7pm. That means you also have the option of streaming it through the RTE Player.
Fans can also stream this and every other game in this season's competition for free through the LiveScore app.
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