Football fans were left in hysterics after Everton seemingly took a playful dig at their local rivals, Liverpool - in the form of food.

As the club gears up for a move to its new £800 million Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in Vauxhall, they invited 25,000 fans to a test event on Sunday, where Everton's under-21s faced off against Bolton Wanderers' B team. The Toffees were 1-0 ahead when supporters had to leave the stadium after 65 minutes due to a planned evacuation, necessary for the club to secure a safety licence for the new 52,888-capacity venue.

Amidst the action, one supporter shared an image of their half-time hot dog topped with an Everton-blue sauce instead of the traditional red, sparking widespread amusement online. "Everton are using blue ketchup at their new stadium, Bramley Moore Docks, so they don't have to use 'red' sauce," celebrated Football Away Days on X as they reposted the image.

It led to one football fan admitting: "That's a level of pettiness that I'm completely willing to get behind." Another commented: "Oh no, the blue ketchup hot dog has found its way to my family group, and I'm baffled at how many heads the joke has gone over. It goes back to the age-old joke that Blues 'don't even allow red sauce in our house. Hilarious from Everton in my opinion."

Whilst a third tickled supporter posted: "Everton not having tomato ketchup at their new ground because it's red is absolutely hilarious." And a fourth quipped: "Kind of admire that level of depressing childish behaviour. Back to the blue additives in the sauce it is lads."

Across the city, followers of neighbours Liverpool didn't quite find the humour in the move. One sniped: "Liverpool win titles, Everton change colour of ketchup. What they'd do to be us."

A second added ssarcastically: "If the club spent as much time on the logistics as the ketchup you wouldn't be 15th and as petty. But embarrassing really. Let's bang a load of food colouring into the fans food bizarre attitude from the club."

And yet one more critic weighed in: "Even Leeds are not that petty. Remove the red from McDonald's signs fine. Turn ketchup blue? That's just a condiment."

In response to the jests, Everton FC clarified the situation, explaining: "Just for clarification, the condiment is a blue garlic aioli, not ketchup or mayo, and is a very deliberate and appreciative nod to Everton and for the fans. Traditional ketchup most definitely remains available too!"

The club also advised that a firecracker sauce is also available, which has proven popular with the stadium's salt and pepper chicken dish.