A banner reading ‘Cats Lives Matter’ was flown over Anfield ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League fixture against West Ham on Saturday targeting French defender Kurt Zouma who was accused of animal abuse last month.

Zouma has been regularly subjected to mockery by opposition fans since a video of him kicking and slapping his pet cat surfaced in February.  

Also Read | ‘Is it worse than racism?’: Michail Antonio hits back at Kurt Zouma critics

And the Liverpool fans ensured the Frenchman faced an uncomfortable evening in Merseyside, chanting “a cat, a cat, a cat,” as well as displaying an inflated cat balloon from the stands.

Shortly after the footage had emerged, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) confirmed that Zouma’s cat had been taken away.

West Ham condemned the act and fined Zouma two weeks’ worth of wages, around £250,000, which was donated to animal welfare charities.

The 27-year-old also issued an apology following the incident, which also resulted in one of West Ham’s sponsors suspended their partnership with the club while Adidas dropped Zouma as a client.

Saturday’s fixture against Liverpool was the fifth Zouma played since the vide emerged. In his first appearance since the incident, at home against Watford, he was booed by both sets of supporters.

West Ham manager David Moyes has revealed last month that captain Mark Noble had organised a team meeting to address Zouma’s situation.

In a statement, West Ham said Zouma was “extremely remorseful”. 

Also Read | Klopp could sign ‘last minute’ Liverpool renewal and stay beyond 2024

“Kurt and the club are co-operating fully with the investigation and the player has willingly complied with the steps taken in the initial stage of the process, including delivering his family’s two cats to the RSPCA for assessment,” West Ham said. 

“Kurt is extremely remorseful and, like everyone at the club, fully understands the depth of feeling surrounding the incident and the need for action to be taken.”