The final day of the 2023/2024 Premier League season saw Manchester City lift the trophy for the fourth time in a row however, it’s possible that UK football fans were more interested in watching events at Anfield.
On the same day Pep Guardiola and his side lifted the trophy for the fourth season in a row, Liverpool were saying goodbye to JürgenKlopp. City retained the title after a 3-1 win over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium, a triumph that was the culmination of a 23 game unbeaten streak that stretches back to the first week of December last year.
Meanwhile, Klopp’s team beat Wolves 2-0 to round off a season that saw them finish third and regain Champions League football, as well as win the Carabao Cup in February. Yet, despite City’s achievment of being the first team in English footballing history to lift the top flight trophy four times on the bounce, it’s becoming clear that their appeal across the country is maybe not as it should be for a club in the throes of such success.
According to Sky Sports, there were indeed more viewers of City’s game against West Ham than there were for Liverpool’s game against Wolves, with Manchester City vs West Ham United averaging 1.27million viewers, and peaking at 1.51million. While the Reds saw their game watched by an average 901k which eventually peaked with 1.07million.
The full narrative isn’t really captured by the viewing figures for the matches themselves. City’s match, aired on Sky Sports Main Event, attracted 54% of viewers, while Liverpool’s game on Sky Sports Premier League drew in 39%, reports the Express.
However, between 6-7pm, as City were hoisting their trophy and Liverpool were bidding farewell to Klopp with a ceremony at Anfield, there was a noticeable shift in viewer numbers. More people tuned into Liverpool and Klopp’s celebration than City’s trophy presentation.
City held 37% of the TV share from 6-6:30pm, while Liverpool commanded 56%. As the hour progressed, the Reds’ share surged to an impressive 64%, while City’s fell further to 29%.
The popularity contest between both clubs is often fiercely debated online among fans, particularly since these two rivals started competing at the top level. These viewing figures will only fuel that debate.
Looking at City and Liverpool’s online presence, the clubs’ social media followings might provide some insight into the viewing split. Liverpool currently boasts 24.4 million followers on X, while City has 17.5 million.
On Instagram, the narrative shifts agian with City boasting a whopping 53.6million followers, outpacing Liverpool’s 45.5million. However, Blinkfire Analytics’ data paints a different picture, revealing a 70% higher UK TV average audience and 44% more YouTube views for Klopp’s emotional farewell compared to City’s title celebrations.
Over the weekend, Liverpool emerged as the most engaged club on social platforms in European football, racking up 39.2m interactions, while City trailed behind with 27.1m.
Despite these figures, it’s undeniable that City are experiencing an unprecedented run of success that any football fan would envy. Yet, the looming threat of 115 charges, of which the club denies, could be causing some fans to lose interest in City’s dominance, while their relentless winning streak may be fostering a sense of apathy among others.
Any issues surrounding City, combined with Liverpool’s massive fanbase cultivated during their golden era in the 70s and 80s, as well as Klopp’s widespread popularity, might suggest that the viewing figures for Sunday’s events were to be expected.
