Manchester City will travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday in their first match since being found to have committed serious breaches of Premier League financial regulations. Enzo Maresca's side is expected to confront a hostile and angry atmosphere from the stands, with Liverpool supporters already planning visible protests.
According to the ruling by an independent commission, City and their UAE-based owners engineered "sham" deals to inflate revenue and reduce costs by more than £900 million (about $1.2 billion) between 2009 and 2018. The Etihad club denies any wrongdoing and has appealed the verdict.
The Premier League rule breaches occurred during a period when City won three top-flight titles and numerous other trophies, while Liverpool struggled to break their rivals' dominance. The violations span more than 100 charges, making Sunday's fixture a major focal point for English football.
Preparing an angry welcome
The Spion Kop 1906 supporters' group, which organises the flag and banner displays on Anfield's famous Kop, has urged fans to arrive early and bring flags and scarves to generate an intense atmosphere from the first minute.
On social media, a post calling on supporters to gather near the stadium hours before kick-off to "welcome" the Manchester City team bus has been circulating. Another post labelled the match "LFC vs Cheats", underscoring the fierce mood among sections of the fanbase.
Merseyside Police said they will deploy an appropriate security presence on matchday. Liverpool fans are no strangers to creating a hostile atmosphere for City. In 2018, during a Champions League quarter-final at Anfield, City's bus was pelted with bottles and flares. Liverpool were subsequently fined €20,000 (about $22,400) by UEFA.
Risk of crisis if they lose
Dom Farrell, author of Glory Days for the Waifs and Strays, which chronicles City's journey from the third tier to European champions, described Sunday's match as "extremely hostile". He suggested that if City beat Liverpool and then go on to defeat a struggling Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, the club could slip into a siege mentality. A defeat, however, would leave them anxiously awaiting the outcome of their case.
Former Manchester United captain and England international Gary Neville predicted Sunday would be a "devastating day" for City. He said Anfield would send a clear message about the depth of anger in English football, with banners and chants on an unprecedented scale. City currently top the table with a perfect record and a six-point lead over Liverpool.
