Manchester City skulked into Anfield through the back door but strutted out after a 3-0 victory, celebrating to Fleetwood Mac's 'Little Lies' played by the Anfield DJ. Their win came despite being found guilty by an independent commission of 115 charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules during the 2009-2018 period. Premier League CEO Richard Masters accused them of 'systemically breaking rules for almost a decade.' Liverpool fans, still smarting from City's financial chicanery that allegedly cost them two titles, greeted the team with hostility.
The club's bus took a circuitous route with police escort to avoid backlash, recalling the 2018 incident when the bus was attacked and players dove for cover from broken glass. Anfield's atmosphere was hostile, with boos greeting the players during warm-up and a crowd-curated playlist featuring songs like Whitney Houston's 'It's Not Right' and Calvin Harris's 'Blame.' City's inflated commercial income by over £900 million, per the commission, gave them an unfair edge, allowing them to outspend rivals and deny Liverpool titles in 2018-19 (97 points) and 2021-22 (92 points), both lost by a single point. The verdict has made City the most unpopular team in Premier League history, though they remain defiant, with Arsenal and Manchester United also holding grievances against Sheikh Mansour's side.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing