Manchester City found guilty: Maresca “very calm” ahead of Liverpool

Manchester City’s dressing room has taken the guilty verdict with a leader’s calm. The club was found guilty of serious financial breaches between 2009 and 2018: 114 according to RMC Sport, 115 according to Foot Mercato, for fraud close to a billion euros in revenue inflated through sponsorship deals tied to the club’s Emirati owners. City denies the charges and has appealed, pointing to manifest material errors of fact and of law. The punishment is still to be decided: a points deduction, the loss of titles or exclusion from the league.

Enzo Maresca is keeping a cool head. “Personally, I am very calm. The club has been very clear and I have full confidence in it,” he told the club’s media. “I understand the rumours going around, but we focus on what we can control: the football.” On his own future, the coach shut the door: “There is no other club in the world where I would rather be.” He took the job knowing he would succeed Pep Guardiola whatever happened.

Erling Haaland repeated the same message to Sky Sports: “We have to stay united. We have to support each other and keep hope. Whatever happens in life, we always have to keep smiling.”

Anfield first, then PSG

The schedule allows no time to dwell. Top of the Premier League with 15 points, five wins from five league games, City travel to Anfield on Sunday for matchday six, against a Liverpool side sixth on 9 points and still unbeaten.

Pep Guardiola left the club this summer after ten years in charge and is now an ambassador for the City Football Group; his first return is expected at the PSG game, three days after Anfield. “We will get through this together,” he wrote.

What the market says

For the punter, the story already shows in the odds. A City win at Anfield is priced 2.57 at 1xbet, down from 2.67 at the opening, which puts the leaders at about 38% for Sunday. The match detail and the prediction are in our Liverpool v Manchester City preview.

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