Liverpool host Manchester City in today’s late Premier League kick off in what is City’s first match played since the seismic verdict from an independent commission which found them guilty of breaching financial rules.
City are expecting a hostile reception at Anfield as a result of that guilty verdict though they have launched an appeal against the judgement which found they had benefitted from more than £900m of disguised funding between 2009 and 2018.
Off pitch matters threaten to overshadow matters on the pitch as City’s case will have lasting consequences for the Premier League as well as clubs affected by their rule-breaking. Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, has insisted he has ‘complete trust’ in the club and says the focus for he and his players is on today’s game versus the Reds.
City come into the match with five wins from five and sit top of the table while Liverpool are six points behind them looking to close the gap with a win this afternoon.
Follow all the action from Anfield with our live blog below:
Read MoreEnzo Maresca’s eloquent defence distracts from the real truth about Manchester City
Liverpool, Manchester City and a clash that will reveal the Premier League’s new reality
Liverpool vs Man City live
- Liverpool host Manchester City in the Premier League | Kick off at 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
- Man City play first match since being found guilty of breaching financial rules
- Anfield atmosphere expected to be hostile towards City following guilty verdict
- How Liverpool’s clash with Manchester City casts awkward new light on Premier League’s big-money model
- Liverpool XI: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Munoz, Wirtz, Koumas; Barcola
- Man City XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guéhi, O'Reilly; Anderson, Fernández; Ndiaye, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland
Liverpool v Man City LIVE
15:35 , Chris Wilson
A big day for Koumas
15:33 , Richard Jolly at AnfieldA distinctly weakened Liverpool team, with six players out and the hamstrung Dominik Szoboszlai the latest withdrawal.
“A big day for Lewis Koumas, who makes his first Premier League start.”
How can I watch the game?
15:30 , Chris WilsonJust an hour until kick-off now. The blockbuster Premier League encounter is due to kick off at 4.30pm BST, and here’s how you can watch.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League with broadcast coverage beginning at 4pm.
Sky subscribers can also stream the match live via the SkyGo app.
Team news
15:24 , Chris WilsonEnzo Maresca has made just one change to the side that beat Sunderland before the international break, with Nico O’Reilly replacing Josko Gvardiol at left-back.
Enzo Fernandez and Elliot Anderson are in midfield, with Iliman Ndiaye, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo supporting Erling Haaland in attack.
Team news
15:22 , Chris WilsonThe big news for Liverpool is that it looks like Bradley Barcola will lead the line, with Lewis Koumas starting on the wing alsongside Victor Munoz.
Dominik Szoboszlai is also out, so Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister anchor midfield.
Man City line-up
15:19 , Chris WilsonMan City XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guéhi, O'Reilly; Anderson, Fernández; Ndiaye, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland.
Subs: Rulli, Kovačić, Doku, Reis, Gvardiol, Bouaddi, Allan, Khusanov, Lewis
Your City XI to face Liverpool 🩵
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 11, 2026
XI | Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias (C), Guéhi, O'Reilly, Anderson, Fernández, Ndiaye, Cherki, Semenyo, Haaland
SUBS | Rulli, Kovačić, Doku, Reis, Gvardiol, Bouaddi, Allan, Khusanov, Lewis
🤝 @etihad pic.twitter.com/UKRI8p1fWy
Liverpool line-up
15:18 , Chris WilsonLiverpool XI: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Munoz, Wirtz, Koumas; Barcola
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Chiesa, Endo, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Nyoni, McConnell, Ngumoha.
Team news is IN! 🔴 #LIVMCI pic.twitter.com/sgmjNZx8jV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 11, 2026
Liverpool v Man City LIVE
15:14 , Chris WilsonCity’s team bus took an alternative route to Anfield to avoid any trouble with gathering fans, so that’s one tricky situation avoided so far today.
Team news
15:10 , Chris WilsonThe line-ups should be released in the next five minutes, so here’s a reminder of the early team news for both sides.
Andoni Iraola is without his main attacking threats as Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo will miss the match through injury. Hugo Ekitike is also missing.
The manager did confirm that Federico Chiesa could feature but is lacking match fitness which means that Lewis Koumas could start up front. Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are long-term absentees for the hosts.
For Man City, Phil Foden will miss the game due to a suspension and there are doubts over the fitness of Nico O’Reilly who left the England camp with a knock during the international break. Maresca confirmed that Erling Haaland is fit and ‘ready for Anfield’.
Erling Haaland sends message to Man City fans after Premier League verdict
15:03 , Chris WilsonErling Haaland has urged Manchester City to “stick together and stay positive” as they prepare to return to action for the first time since being found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules.
City have insisted they are innocent and have submitted an appeal, but speculation has been rife across football as to the sanctions they might face after an independent commission said they broke the rules between 2009-10 and 2017-18.
Enzo Maresca’s side are expected to face a hostile atmosphere at Anfield on Sunday when they take on fierce rivals Liverpool in their first game since the verdict, but Haaland said: “We have to stick together, we have to stay with each other and we have to stay positive.”
Erling Haaland sends message to Man City fans after Premier League verdict
Vincent Kompany 'proud' of Man City success despite guilty verdict on Premier League rule breaches
14:57 , Chris WilsonVincent Kompany has said he still feels “proud” of what Manchester City achieved during his time there, after an independent commission found the club guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules.
The breaches covered nine seasons, from 2009-10 to 2017-18.
Kompany, who is now Bayern Munich head coach, was City's captain during a spell of more than a decade at the club. He joined in 2008 and left in 2019, a period in which he won the Premier League four times.
His trophy haul at City also included two FA Cups and four League Cups.
Vincent Kompany 'proud' of Man City success despite guilty verdict
Enzo Maresca’s eloquent defence distracts from the real truth about Manchester City
14:51 , Chris WilsonWhen Enzo Maresca was talking to Manchester City about taking over from Pep Guardiola, neither party raised the issue that seemed to be the elephant in the room: the 115 charges the Premier League had levelled in 2023. Or so the Italian said, anyway, which felt a significant omission. The day City seemed to think would never come has now arrived, the guilty verdict to 114 of those charges of breaching financial rules delivered, the word “sham” prominent in the 40-page explanation from the independent commission and the accusation a club cheated for years now prominent.
City, Maresca included, can face an uncertain future and a disputed past. An era in English football is being reappraised. If it may be awkward for some, from Omar Berrada to Mikel Arteta, if City’s trophies were taken away, Maresca denied they were tainted. “Absolutely not,” he said. He has his medals, from his role as Guardiola’s assistant in City’s all-conquering 2022-23 campaign. He feels they were earned. “The last time I was here was the treble season. I know the efforts from the players, from the club, from the manager in that time – Pep – so I know the effort the club put in to achieve that target. I don't have any doubts about that.”
Enzo Maresca’s eloquent defence distracts from the real truth about Manchester City
Premier League results
14:46 , Chris WilsonHere are the results from this weekend so far:
Chelsea 5-1 Bournemouth
Sunderland 0-2 Brighton
Aston Vill 2-2 Brentford
Ipswich 2-1 Fulham
Liverpool vs Man City LIVE
14:41 , Chris WilsonFans are already gathering around Anfield with a couple of hours to go until kick-off.
You’d expect an interesting reception even as the teams arrive this afternoon!
Liverpool, Manchester City and a clash that will reveal the Premier League’s new reality
14:36 , Richard JollyAs Manchester City finally got all of their players back together again, after mostly being abroad for a crisis that threatens to tear the club apart, manager Enzo Maresca of course had to go through all the usual processes.
The group did address the difficulty of their circumstances, amid the anticipation that Anfield on Sunday is going to be unlike any atmosphere ever seen.
“The noise”, as Maresca put it.
Liverpool, Man City and a clash that will reveal the Premier League’s new reality
What could City's punishment be?
14:30 , Chris WilsonA range of sanctions could be applied if City’s appeal fails, and these are explained in detail in section W.64 of the Premier League Handbook.
In short, an “unlimited” fine, transfer bans, points deductions and even expulsion from the league are all potential punishments, while the club could also be stripped of titles won during the period in question.
In the case of expulsion, the league’s 20 member clubs would vote on whether to accept the sanction, and the motion would need 15 votes to go through.
The original independent panel will meet to decide on the sanctions, and it is impossible to say what the sanctions will be at this point in time.
What happens next?
14:27 , Chris WilsonThis is where it all becomes difficult, as only a select few people will know the relevant timelines, and what will be released and when.
However, there are some helpful windows that can give us a clue.
Firstly, the appeal process must be concluded within 12 weeks of the appeal being lodged, so that is 12 weeks from 1 October. That would take us to around Christmas, though the process may not need 12 weeks to complete.
The panel must then deliver its verdict “within 30 days of the final day of the appeal hearing”, according to Premier League regulations.
As for sanctions, the original independent panel will meet to decide these, though there is no official time frame here. Nevertheless, they could come either before or after the verdict on the appeal is announced.
The major problems with the Man City appeal and the ‘magic bullet’ they need
14:24 , Miguel DelaneyChief Football Writer Miguel Delaney breaks down the appeals process, potential evidence and arguments here...
To think that the dominant topics when the Premier League broke for the international window were over Michael Carrick’s future and whether Alexander Isak can rediscover his form.
Within a mere three weeks we’re now in another era, having passed a genuine historic landmark. It is an era shaking with uncertainty, despite finally having that concrete development of the Manchester City decision.
That is because much of that uncertainty is over what next; how long the league is going to live with this; when the next development will even be; whether sanctions will come before the outcome of the appeal…
The major problems with the Man City appeal and the ‘magic bullet’ they need
City's defence
14:20 , Chris WilsonManchester City’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak released a statement to supporters, saying that “our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began”.
CEO Ferran Soriano made a video for City staff that suggested “the whole Premier League case against us is based on a single false accusation”, even going as far as to call the situation “the Premier League’s conspiracy theory”.
City have now appealed the guilty verdict, and it is expected that their most likely ‘defence’ will point to the fact that,although City’s Abu Dhabi sponsors did require that funding to meet commitments, they argue this came from central government – known as the Crown Prince Court (CPC) – and not from City’s legal owner, which was then under a company called Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG).
Man City's charges
14:16 , Chris WilsonCity have since appealed the guilty verdict, and the decision on that is expected at some point between January and March, though it could also go to arbitration.
The sanctions could also be announced by then, though they may even come later, perhaps towards the end of the season.
As Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney writes:
“An appeal can only assess whether the initial panel made any procedural or legal errors. Legal experts already see this as difficult given that the decision was built on the strength of the evidence rather than points of law, and is already viewed as being “bullet-proof” on all sides.
“This isn’t a new hearing, either, and new evidence cannot be presented outside exceptional circumstances.
It’s known that City intend to pursue a number of avenues, including matters of fact, law and procedure, that they believe make the decision “unsafe”.
Man City's charges
14:13 , Chris WilsonThe independent Commission found that between Seasons 2009/10 and 2017/18:
- Manchester City arranged ‘sham’ contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners, as well as relying on ‘sham’ agreements with others, to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs.
- The club filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators
- Manchester City was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits.
- During the Premier League’s investigation, Manchester City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League (three of the four alleged breaches were upheld)
Explained: The complete timeline of Man City’s 115 charges
14:05 , Chris WilsonManchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges put to them by the Premier League. But what has lead to this point? Adam Clery breaks down the full timeline of events that has lead to one of the most seismic stories in Premier League history.
How Liverpool’s clash with Manchester City casts awkward new light on Premier League’s big-money model
13:59 , Richard JollyMoney has long been a theme in meetings of Liverpool against Manchester City. It promised to be once again when the transfer window concluded. This, it seemed, was set to be the first Premier League game to feature five £100m men and both of those who share the British record as the £125m buys. Then, after the independent commission’s verdict on City cast some of their past spending in a different light, came what might be deemed less dramatic news: Alexander Isak is injured.
Not for the first time, either, but not seriously, Andoni Iraola believes. So instead there could be two players on each side who cost nine-figure sums: the Liverpool duo of Florian Wirtz, whose £100m fee could rise to £116m, and Bradley Barcola, who joined for £106m, which could go up to £123m, and the City midfield pair of the £116m Elliot Anderson and the £125m Enzo Fernandez.
How Liverpool v Man City casts awkward new light on Premier League’s big-money model
Anfield prepares for hostilities
13:52 , Chris WilsonThankfully there are plenty of options for anyone looking to mark the occasion of today’s game with some poorly rendered AI merchandise!
Premier League table
13:47 , Chris WilsonA reminder too that City currently sit top of the Premier League ahead of their sixth game of the season.
Maresca’s side are the only team in the division with a 100% winning record, having won all five of their games before the international break to sit top with 15 points.
They come into today’s game level on points with Arsenal but with a game in hand.
As for Liverpool, Iraola’s side sit seventh, having drawn three and won two of their opening five.
Of course, the big question today is whether City will wilt under the new, strange pressure, or whether Enzo Maresca can create a siege mentality at the Etihad.
Nevertheless, a win for Liverpool would also be a superb result for Iraola, and his first big scalp in his new job.
Predicted line-ups
13:41 , Chris WilsonLiverpool XI: Alisson; Araujo, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Barcola
Man City XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Fernandez, Anderson; Semenyo, Cherki, Ndiaye; Haaland
Man City's charges
13:41 , Chris WilsonSo, as a ‘starting point’ for anyone looking to re-visit or learn more about the Manchester City case, it helps to begin with the most recent revelations.
In short, an independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of the majority of the 115 charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period.
An independent commission was appointed following a four-year investigation to decide the outcome of the charges, which stretch between 2009 and 2018.
The verdict was widely reported a few weeks ago but it was later confirmed by the Premier League, who released a lengthy statement saying that City are “guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules” and are also guilty of “the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.”
Team news
13:38 , Chris WilsonFor Man City, Phil Foden will miss the game due to a suspension and there are doubts over the fitness of Nico O’Reilly who left the England camp with a knock during the international break. Maresca confirmed that Erling Haaland is fit and ‘ready for Anfield’.
Team news
13:35 , Chris WilsonAndoni Iraola is without his main attacking threats as Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo will miss the match through injury. Hugo Ekitike is also missing.
The manager did confirm that Federico Chiesa could feature but is lacking match fitness which means that Lewis Koumas could start up front. Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are long-term absentees for the hosts.
How can I watch today's game?
13:30 , Chris WilsonWhile the narratives will be dominated by the Man City charges, there is still a game to be played today! It kicks off in three hours, and here’s how you can watch it...
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League with broadcast coverage beginning at 4pm.
Sky subscribers can also stream the match live via the SkyGo app.
Liverpool and Manchester City drove each other to new heights – their Premier League rivalry does not need rewriting
13:23 , Richard JollyIt had seemed a triumphant farewell for Pep Guardiola at the place which became his personal house of horrors. His final trip to Anfield brought a first win in front of the crowd that tended to taunt him. One of the abiding images of his decade-long stay at Manchester City came away at Liverpool, Guardiola waving two fingers in the air, shouting “twice” about the penalty appeals his side saw rejected in 2019.
Seven years on, some would say there have been greater injustices in the Premier League. City have a more significant appeal than merely questioning a refereeing decision or two. The story of Guardiola’s epic duel with Jurgen Klopp may require some rewriting. Anfield, forever a hostile place for City to visit, will be still more so after the independent commission found them guilty of 114 of the charges the Premier League levelled.
Why Liverpool and Man City’s defining Premier League rivalry does not need rewriting
Liverpool & City re-ignite rivalry
13:17 , Chris WilsonIn many ways it feels ‘right’ that City’s first game since the guilty verdict comes against Liverpool, the team that has been their main rivals for so much of their recent history.
The Reds went toe-to-toe with City in two of English football’s most exciting title races in 2018/19 and 2021/22, and while neither lands in the periods the charges cover, Liverpool may feel like they’ve been the most hard done by considering what they could have achieved.
The 2019 title, which Liverpool lost by a single point in a 97-point campaign – losing only once, to City – is a particular standout, though again it does fall outside of the period that the charges cover.
Go beyond the game with Miguel Delaney’s award-winning Inside Football newsletter – get one month free
13:11 , Chris WilsonThe football fixture calendar is relentless, and the news cycle feels nonstop – spanning everything from results and matches to tactics, competitions, transfers, politics, global expansion, and even the geopolitics and greater forces now reshaping how the very sport is played.
In short, there’s a lot to keep up with – and to make sense of. That’s where my award-winning newsletter Inside Football comes in.
Landing in your inbox every Friday, Inside Football delivers insight, opinion, and the under-the-radar details you love.
Join Miguel Delaney’s award-winning Inside Football newsletter – one month free
Mikel Arteta insists his conscience is clear over Man City rule breaches
13:05 , Flo CliffordMikel Arteta has insisted his conscience is clear after former club Manchester City were found guilty of breaking Premier League rules.
Arteta, who served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad Stadium for three years, offered very little when asked about his thoughts on the verdict.
He said: “The process has been going for various years,” he said. “That process is still not finished. So, it is very difficult to express how I feel, because it is not resolved.
“When it is resolved I can talk with clarity and tell you exactly how I feel.”
Quizzed at to whether he was looking forward to a resolution, Arteta said: “We need to trust that the people in charge will resolve it in the timeframe that they believe is the best for everybody.”
What have the Premier League managers said?
12:50 , Flo CliffordAhead of his side’s meeting with Manchester City today Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola opted for a diplomatic approach.
He said: “I think uncertainty is not good for anyone involved but there is the process ongoing and we have to be patient like everyone else and see what happens at the end. No one knows what’s going to happen.
“We have to focus on Liverpool and being the best club we can be, the best team we can be. That’s my challenge. My opinion is not valid because I haven’t spent that time and I haven’t read as much as they’ve [the commission] done.
“I think the challenge of the game is so high that I don’t think players think too much outside of this. They are thinking ‘I have to mark this player’ or ‘I have to go and deal with this one’ or ‘I have be at this level because the level of the game is so high’. They will be focused on those things. Obviously they will have their own opinions but I think they will be fully focused on what happens on the pitch.”
The major problems with the Man City appeal and the ‘magic bullet’ they need
12:35 , Flo CliffordMan City have decided to appeal against the guilty verdict in their Premier League financial breaches case, but Miguel Delaney explains why they face an uphill struggle and provides a timeline of what comes next:
The major problems with the Man City appeal and the ‘magic bullet’ they need
Gary Lineker calls on Man City to ‘own it’ and accept punishment after guilty verdict
12:20 , Flo CliffordGary Lineker has called on Manchester City to “own” and “accept whatever punishment” they are given for the “good of the game”.
“Obviously, it looks really bad for Manchester City, and bad for the game, too,” former England captain Lineker said.
“When they talk about the ‘Premier League conspiracy theories’, you just think to yourself, ‘Well, this is actually the last thing in the world that the Premier League would want’.
“So, I’d love to see Man City now just own it and just say, ‘OK, we got it wrong but for the good of the game, we’ll accept it and we’ll accept whatever punishment comes our way and we’ll carry on’.
“That would be a blessing and save their face a little bit at the moment, although it doesn’t look likely.”
FA says it will consider action against Man City after guilty verdict
12:04 , Flo CliffordThe Football Association says it will “take action where appropriate” in the aftermath of the Premier League’s case against Manchester City.
The FA has now released a statement relating to the case and says it will “continue to monitor developments closely”.
It read: “The Independent Commission’s decision has significant implications for the integrity of the game. We are carefully considering the decision and its implications and will take action where appropriate.
“As proceedings between the Premier League and Manchester City Football Club remain ongoing, we do not intend to comment further at this stage. We will, however, continue to monitor developments closely.”
Enzo Maresca’s eloquent defence distracts from the real truth about Manchester City
11:50 , Flo CliffordThe new Manchester City manager was polished and poised as he faced questions about their misdeeds – but, Richard Jolly wonders, how long can it last?
Enzo Maresca’s eloquent defence distracts from the real truth about Manchester City
What did Enzo Maresca say?
11:37 , Flo CliffordGuardiola once said he would stay at City if they were in the third tier, as they were in 1998-99, and Maresca offered a similar indication.
“I won the Championship with Leicester,” he said. “So in case of League One, we're going to see.”
Since 2009, City have won eight Premier League titles, including six in a decade under Guardiola. Maresca was on his coaching staff when they won the Champions League for the first time in 2023 and he feels those triumphs are not tarnished by the club being deemed guilty of cheating.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “The last time I was here from the Treble season and I know the effort from the players, the club, the manager in that time, who was Pep. I know the effort that the club put to achieve that kind of target so I don't have any doubt about that.”
What did Enzo Maresca say?
11:27 , Flo Clifford“I trust the people and this is also the reason why I joined the club. There is not another club in the world where I would like to be. So I'm very happy to be here. I'm very proud. I said many times since day one.”
Maresca was adamant he would have taken the job even if the independent commission, who said City had “sham” contracts for sponsorship deals, had already ruled against them.
“One hundred percent, yes,” he said. “I know the organisation from years ago. I know how serious they are. I know they do the right things. I would like to speak about this when we're going to win the appeal.”
Premier League managers react to Manchester City verdict
11:15 , Flo CliffordAs expected, the Manchester City verdict dominated this week’s Premier League press conferences, with most managers asked for their thoughts on the ruling.
The majority were pretty tight-lipped, while Enzo Maresca issued a defiant response, saying City would win their appeal against the independent commission’s findings.
Explained: The complete timeline of Man City’s 115 charges
11:05 , Flo CliffordManchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges put to them by the Premier League. But what has lead to this point? Adam Clery breaks down the full timeline of events that has lead to one of the most seismic stories in Premier League history.
What would the Premier League have looked like without Man City?
10:55 , Flo CliffordOver that same period City also won four domestic cup trophies which would very likely be taken off them as well leading to a couple of surprising outcomes.
City defeated Stoke City in the 2010/11 FA Cup which would hand Stoke their very first FA Cup win while Sunderland would benefit from being a losing finalist in the 2013/14 Carabao Cup - a trophy they have also never won.
Liverpool and Arsenal would also be handed retrospective cup triumphs as City defeated both teams in the Carabao Cup in 2015/16 and 2017/18 respectively.
What would the Premier League have looked like without Man City?
10:45 , Flo CliffordNo sanctions have been decided as of yet, but if retrospective punishments are applied to Man City’s previous honours, they would be stripped of three Premier League titles during the nine-year period covered by the rules breaches.
2011/12 - Premier League top four without Man City
1. Manchester United - 89 points
2. Arsenal - 70 points
3. Tottenham Hotspur - 69 points
4. Newcastle United - 65 points
2013/14 - Premier League top four without Man City
1. Liverpool - 84 points
2. Chelsea - 82 points
3. Arsenal - 79 points
4. Everton - 72 points
2017/18 - Premier League top four without Man City
1. Manchester United - 81 points
2. Tottenham Hotspur - 77 points
3. Liverpool - 75 points
4. Chelsea - 70 points
The independent commission's findings, in full
10:35 , Flo CliffordThe independent Commission found that between Seasons 2009/10 and 2017/18:
- Manchester City arranged ‘sham’ contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners, as well as relying on ‘sham’ agreements with others, to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs.
- The club filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators
- Manchester City was significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits.
- During the Premier League’s investigation, Manchester City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation and utmost good faith towards the League (three of the four alleged breaches were upheld)
Premier League statement in full as Man City guilty of ‘sham’ deals and other charges
What was the verdict?
10:25 , Flo CliffordThe Premier League has found Manchester City guilty of the majority of the 115 charges relating to breaches of their financial rules over a nine-season period.
An independent commission was appointed following a four-year investigation to decide the outcome of the charges, which stretch between 2009 and 2018.
The verdict was widely reported last Friday but has now been confirmed by the Premier League, who released a lengthy statement saying that City are “guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules” and are also guilty of “the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.”
Liverpool, Manchester City and a clash that will reveal the Premier League’s new reality
10:15 , Flo CliffordAs two rivals meet in a fitting fixture to mark the league’s return after a seismic moment, Miguel Delaney explains why it will set the tone for what could prove a season of chaos:
Liverpool, Man City and a clash that will reveal the Premier League’s new reality
Liverpool v Manchester City
10:07 , Flo CliffordLiverpool host Manchester City in the blockbuster fixture of the Premier League weekend with events off the pitch equally as intriguing as the contest to take place on it.
City head to Anfield expecting the most hostile of receptions following the verdict of an independent commission which found the club guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period. The judgment found that City benefitted from more than £900m of disguised funding between 2009 and 2018 where they won three top-flight titles including one against Liverpool who finished second.
The Reds fans have already been preparing to welcome City’s squad with animosity and Enzo Maresca will have a tricky task on his hand to keep the focus on the match. The City manager defiantly insisted he has ‘complete trust’ in the club, who have launched an appeal against the verdict.
City come into the match with five wins from five and sit top of the table. Liverpool are six points behind them and can close the gap with victory this afternoon.
Good morning
10:00 , Flo CliffordHello and welcome to live coverage of Manchester City’s first Premier League game since they were found guilty of all charges of breaking the league’s financial rules.
They travel to Anfield this afternoon, where they will surely face a hostile reception after the independent commission handed down its seismic verdict earlier this month.
We’ll have all the build-up to the game and reaction to the verdict right here.
