Manchester City will face a tough crowd at Anfield on Sunday. They will play against their rivals Liverpool in their first game since being found guilty of breaking over 100 financial rules.
An independent commission found that City and their Emirati owners arranged fake deals to inflate their revenues and cut costs by over £900 million ($1.2 billion) between 2009 and 2018. This decision could change the future of the Premier League.
These financial breaches happened while City won three league titles and several other trophies. During this time, Liverpool struggled to compete with City’s dominance in England.
City has appealed the ruling. Manager Enzo Maresca said on Friday that he believes they will overturn the decision. He added that he is telling his players to focus on what happens on the field.
“For me and the players, we can control just the pitch, the football side. We are focused on that. This is what we can control. We cannot control something different,” the Italian said.
City got a taste of what to expect when Manchester United fans teased them during their 1-1 draw against Tottenham at Old Trafford on Saturday. Because of the guilty ruling, the Premier League season is on hold as they wait for a decision on the appeal and any possible punishment.
“I think the worst thing probably is the uncertainty, that no one knows what’s going to happen,” Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said on Friday.
The possible outcomes include a heavy points deduction or even kicking City out of the Premier League. Some people even think City could lose their titles.
“I think they have to be stripped of the titles. Otherwise, you send the wrong message to anyone in the future,” said John Gibbons from the Liverpool podcast The Anfield Wrap.
“There can’t be any trust now, certainly not if there’s not an admission of guilt. For me, I don’t see how Manchester City can continue in the league.”
Liverpool will miss injured players Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo on Sunday. They have finished second to City three times in the last 12 years, with one of those occasions happening during the time under investigation.
City’s rivals believe that the illegal spending during that time helped build a strong team under former manager Pep Guardiola, who left at the end of last season. Twice, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool missed out on the title despite earning over 90 points.
The competition for those titles made the games between City and Liverpool very special. In truth, City has not had an easy time at Anfield. Last season’s 2-1 win was their first victory there in front of fans since 2003. Their other win came during Covid-19 restrictions in 2021.
City has started strong under Maresca, winning seven games in a row across all competitions. The charges against the club were first made public in February 2023, but City still managed to win the treble, including their first Champions League title, along with the Premier League and FA Cup.
The big question is whether Erling Haaland and his teammates can use the surrounding chaos to boost their performance, or if they will crumble under the pressure.
Liverpool fans have enjoyed creating a tough atmosphere for City since they became title contenders after their owners took over in 2008. This weekend’s match is expected to be very hostile, according to Dom Farrell, who wrote a book about City’s rise.
“If they were to win against Liverpool and then beat an off-form Paris Saint-Germain (in the Champions League on Wednesday), you really get a siege mentality going.
“But there’s also a decent chance they get turned over, and then it just starts to feel like you’re in this sort of dead zone waiting for the verdict.
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