Police and council workers have removed a sick banner referencing the Munich Air Disaster from a bridge over the M62 in the build up to Monday night's clash between Liverpool and Manchester United.

Merseyside Police received calls from members of the public complaining about the banner, which read: 'Munich 58', and had been draped over a bridge close to Junction Five of the motorway, which runs from Liverpool to Manchester and beyond, at around 5pm.

Officers and council workers were immediately sent to the scene to remove the sick sign.

A total of 23 people, including eight players, died when a plane carrying the United team crashed on a Munich runway, where it had stopped following a European Cup tie in Belgrade in 1958.

It is understood calls to police were made by disgusted local residents and travelling United fans.

The removal of the banner comes after both clubs issued a statement asking both sets of supporters not to behave offensively.

Previous clashes have been marred by taunts from both sides about the Munich Disaster and the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans perished.

A mural commemorating the 50th anniversary of the crash outside Old Trafford in 2008

United fans marked the 50th anniversary of the disaster against rivals City in 2008

Referring to the statement, United manager Jose Mourinho said: 'In football we have some football tragedies, if you can say that, which is a big match that you lost, the mistake that some player did, this kind of thing.

'You can make fun of it in a positive way, but the human tragedy is something much more serious.

'It's the last thing somebody should use on a football pitch because they were really big tragedies — not to forget but to respect.'