Manchester City are bracing for a hostile reception at Anfield on Sunday when they face Liverpool in their first match since an independent commission found the club guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules.
The commission found that City arranged what it described as “sham” deals to inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million between 2009 and 2018.
The alleged breaches occurred during a period in which City won three Premier League titles and several other trophies, while Liverpool repeatedly challenged them for domestic honours.
City have appealed against the verdict, with manager Enzo Maresca expressing confidence on Friday that the club would overturn the original ruling.
However, the Premier League is awaiting the outcome of the appeal before determining any potential sanctions, leaving uncertainty over the club’s future.
“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.
Possible punishments reportedly include a substantial points deduction, relegation or expulsion from the Premier League. There has also been speculation that City could be stripped of titles won during the period under scrutiny.
John Gibbons of Liverpool podcast The Anfield Wrap said City should lose their titles if the verdict is upheld.
“I think they have to be stripped of the titles. Otherwise you send the wrong message to anyone in the future,” he told media.
“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 continue in the league.”
Liverpool rivalry takes centre stage
Liverpool have finished second to City three times over the past 12 years, although only the 2013/14 title race fell within the period examined by the commission.
Nevertheless, City’s critics argue that the alleged financial breaches helped establish the foundations for the club’s success under former manager Pep Guardiola, who left at the end of last season.
Liverpool twice missed out on the Premier League title under former manager Jurgen Klopp despite collecting more than 90 points.
Those closely contested title races turned matches between the two clubs into major events in English football, with Sunday’s encounter expected to attract renewed attention amid the controversy surrounding City.
“It just shows how remarkable that team that Jurgen Klopp built was and what they were up against,” Gibbons said.
“They were obviously going against another side who it has been shown weren’t playing by the same rules as everyone else.”
City have also struggled to win at Anfield in front of a crowd. Their 2-1 victory last season was their first such win since 2003, with their other victory coming in 2021 during the COVID-19 restrictions.
City seek to maintain winning run
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the case, City return to Anfield at the top of the Premier League after winning their first seven matches in all competitions under Maresca.
The club’s legal troubles have continued since the charges were first announced in February 2023. Just months later, City won the treble, securing their first Champions League title alongside the Premier League and FA Cup.
Sunday’s match will test whether the players can maintain their form under the intense scrutiny or whether the controversy will affect their performance.
Liverpool supporters have regularly created a hostile atmosphere for City since the club emerged as a major title contender following the takeover by Abu Dhabi-based owners in 2008.
The latest meeting is expected to bring even greater tension, with the financial verdict adding another layer to an already fierce rivalry.
Dom Farrell, author of Glory Days for the Waifs and Strays, which chronicles City’s rise from the third tier to European champions, said the result could shape the mood around the club in the coming weeks.
“If they were to win against Liverpool and then beat an off-form Paris Saint-Germain you really get a siege mentality going,” he told media.
“But there’s also a decent chance they get turned over, and then it just starts to feel you’re in this sort of dead zone waiting for the verdict.”
City’s appeal means the final consequences of the commission’s findings remain unresolved, leaving the club facing both a major sporting test at Anfield and continued uncertainty over its future.