Manchester City face an atmosphere of toxicity and hostility at Anfield on Sunday, their first league match since being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules between 2009-10 and 2017-18. The relationship between the clubs has been fractious for over a decade, with Liverpool fans believing more titles should have been theirs. In 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2021/22, Liverpool finished second to City — twice by a single point — under Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
City, now under new head coach Enzo Maresca, maintain their innocence after launching an appeal against the independent commission's guilty verdict. The commission described City's dealings as a "sham", including artificially inflating revenue by more than £900m. As the cloud hangs over the entire season, each victory carries qualification, each league table an unseen asterisk.
Talk of expulsion, relegation and record points deductions has even suggested the entire Premier League season could be rendered meaningless. Maresca, inheriting both Guardiola's legacy and the punishment fallout, placed emphasis on "when" City win their appeal, insisting the ruling contained clear errors. The Kop will offer no patience for legal finalities — there will be sound, fury and resentment at Anfield.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing