It was always going to play out this way, wasn't it? To the surprise of no-one inside Anfield on Saturday evening, the decision to play the national anthem just moments before Liverpool's kick-off against Brentford went down like a concrete balloon.
The anthem - which was played to signal the coronation of King Charles at Westminster Abbey - was drowned out almost entirely by the sound of hearty roarings of disapproval from the Reds fans at Anfield. That outcome was as easy to predict as night following day after the decision from the club to agree to the Premier League "strongly suggesting" it be aired before each game across the division on Saturday.
Liverpool say they were put in "an impossible situation" by the League's 'request' at such short notice, particularly as plans were already in place to mark both an LFC Foundation event and Eurovision's arrival on Merseyside next week.
LIVE UPDATES: Liverpool vs Brentford score, goals and commentary stream
Privately, there were those who firmly agreed with the pushback that came from the stakeholders that were consulted. "We know some fans have strong views on it," was perhaps their way of admitting it was an episode they would rather not have had to confront at all. It's an understandable stance.
Inevitably, the outpouring of faux anger and staged disappointment from the usual suspects who are desperate to be offended by it all will come, while there will be zero effort put into finding out the reasons for why there is such a depth of anti-Monarch feeling around these parts.
Anyone acting shocked or appalled by Anfield's reaction here is being entirely disingenuous; it was always going to play out this way. Instead of berating supporters, the Premier League should instead be taking the criticism for their firm insistence that their members conform.
It seems the most subservient Scouse act to a king at Anfield this season will remain Trent Alexander-Arnold placing an imaginary crown on the head of Mohamed Salah during the 7-0 win over Manchester United in March.
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