Liverpool anger fans as they announce ticket price rise for next THREE seasons despite woeful Premier League title defence

The Reds have officially announced that general admission ticket prices will rise for each of the next three campaigns. The announcement comes at a tough time for the club on the pitch, with Arne Slot's side currently fifth in the Premier League table after winning the title last season.

Adult general admission tickets are set to increase by between £1.25 and £1.75 per person, per matchday. For season ticket holders, the impact is even more significant, with prices rising by as much as £27 for the upcoming season.

The move has been met with a wave of criticism from the official Supporters Board, who had been in discussions with the club since February. The fan representatives had strongly advocated for a price freeze to protect loyal supporters from rising costs during a cost-of-living crisis.

“We’ve engaged with the club in direct discussions since early February,” they said, as quoted by The Mirror. "This followed a meeting with the club’s board and ownership last October. We were clear about our requests throughout: we sought a price freeze for two seasons, in line with the Football Supporters’ Association’s ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty’ campaign, and sought commitment to work together to find alternatives that do not cost supporters more."

“We felt this was an opportunity for the club to do what we might expect from those who pride themselves on it meaning ‘more’: be different from others, support fan loyalty, and work collectively on a solution that does not come at the expense of supporters.”

Liverpool's hierarchy insists that freezing prices was not a viable option in the current economic climate. The club cited the need to remain competitive and rising operational costs as the primary drivers behind the rise. In an official statement, the club explained: "After careful consideration across several meetings, the club decided this was not considered viable in the highly competitive environment it operates within, as it continues to invest on and off the pitch, and rising costs across the club that are outside of its control."

The Reds currently sit in fifth place, five points behind Aston Villa, who are in the top four. They are clearly targeting a place in next season's Champions League to salvage their disastrous Premier League campaign – especially as defending champions. After the international break, Slot's men will face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals, followed by another tough match against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.