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Liverpool welcome fans to Anfield for Wolverhampton Wanderers clash

:Headline: Liverpool welcome fans to Anfield for Wolverhampton Wanderers clash: ID:425451: from db_amp
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Twickenham also welcomed spectators for the first time in nine months.

Liverpool fans watched their side in action for the first time as Premier League champions, Tottenham supporters saw their team go top of the table with victory in the north London derby and England rugby followers witnessed the most dramatic of Twickenham triumphs on Sunday.

With London and Liverpool in the second tier of coronavirus restrictions, Anfield and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were both able to welcome 2,000 spectators – the first time fans had been in the stands for nine months.

Supporters were back at the home of English rugby for the first time in nine months too as 2,000 of them saw England beat France 22-19 in sudden-death extra time to win the inaugural Autumn Nations Cup.

Liverpool fans greeted their team's arrival ahead of the match against Wolves with chants of 'Bring on the champions', with the players also treated to noisy renditions of 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

It was the first time Jurgen Klopp's side had played in front of a crowd since they lost 3-2 at home to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on March 11.

Tottenham ensured the first visitors to their stadium this season went home happy as goals from Son Heung-min and Harry Kane sunk Arsenal.

Tottenham players applauded the 2,000 fans after the game (Glyn Kirk/PA).

For England's rugby players, Sunday's match was their first with spectators since the 33-30 success over Wales in the Guinness Six Nations at HQ on March 7.

On that occasion 81,522 fans were in attendance, with rather fewer there to see the nail-biting win over France, with the return of supporters a very gradual process.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, co-owner of League Two side Salford, questioned that approach during an interview on Sophy Ridge on Sunday.

England fans queue up to enter Twickenham ahead of the Autumn Nations Cup Final with France (Adam Davy/PA).

He told Sky News: "I do think this idea that Salford City, if they were to come into tier two in two weeks, could have 2,000, but Manchester United who've got a 75,000 stadium could have 2,000 is just madness.

"Surely Manchester United could house more than 2,000 people safely and socially distance?

"At Salford we might only be able to hold 1,200. So again it's this blanket approach, this lack of bespoke approach to different situations."

The tier system meant fans could not attend Sunday's other two Premier League games, Crystal Palace's win at West Brom and Sheffield United's home defeat to Leicester, but matches in the Women's Super League did welcome spectators.

Chelsea's 3-2 win over West Ham, which kicked off at 1230, was the first women's top-flight fixture to be played in front of a crowd since 734 supporters saw Arsenal thrash the Hammers 9-1 at Chigwell Construction Stadium in September.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
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