Ahead of what was a crucial game for Aston Villa's Champions League aspirations, clouds of purple smoke could be seen engulfing the areas surrounding Villa Park.
A victory would have secured Champions League qualification for the Villains, and the fans clearly were doing everything they could to both encourage their team and intimidate the travelling Liverpool supporters,
Watch: Purple smoke engulfs Villa Park ahead of kick-off
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Fans up for the game at Villa Park
Aston Villa fans enjoying themselves before tonight’s game at Villa Park 🎆
Is #AVFC’s ground one of the greatest in England 🤔 pic.twitter.com/iv5GxaVcXg
— FanHub (@FanHub) May 13, 2024
Villa Park has long been regarded as one of the best stadiums in the country, and incidents such as this one are exactly the reason why. Not only is the ground an excellent venue for football, but the Villa faithful support their side notoriously well.
After a 1-0 victory against Arsenal in December, Unai Emery's side had set a new club record of 15 consecutive wins at home. The Spaniard then explained that the Villa fans played a huge role in this accomplishment, saying “It was an amazing day with our amazing supporters here in Villa Park.
“The atmosphere we’re creating here is really brilliant and we are playing with 11 players and one more: our supporters. The fans are always transmitting their energy.”
Clearly, the home support at Villa Park have a huge impact on the team, and scenes such as these demonstrate why that is.
A crucial game
It was also crystal clear exactly why the Villa fans were so pumped up for this match – a win by any margin would have secured the Midlands club their first-ever Champions League qualification, although it is worth noting that they did compete in, and win, the old format of the European Cup in 1982.
Despite a late fightback against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, the Villains could only secure a 3-3 draw on the night, meaning their quest for a top-four finish will go down to the final day of the Premier League season.
If they are successful in doing so, their trusted support will likely be a huge reason why once more.