Manchester City head to Anfield as managers react to financial breach verdict

City's appeal and Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola's comments set the stage for a tense Premier League showdown at Anfield.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 09 Oct 2026 21:26:23 GMT

Manchester City will face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, the first Premier League match since an independent commission found the club guilty of most of the 115 financial charges brought by the league, according to BBC Sport.

What happened

The commission, appointed after a four‑year investigation covering 2009‑2018, ruled that City had "sham contracts" with commercial partners, disguising more than £900 million of funding. The verdict was announced last week, and City have launched an appeal against the findings. The club will travel to Anfield for the scheduled match, a venue Pep Guardiola has previously described as "difficult".

What the reports add

BBC Sport notes that the club was found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges, while Al Jazeera reports that City were found guilty of "multiple breaches" and faces a possible points deduction that could threaten their league standing. The Independent specifies that City were guilty of 114 of the 115 breaches and details the alleged £900 million illicit financial injection.

What was said

Enzo Maresca, City’s manager, told BBC Sport that the club’s titles are "absolutely not" tainted. Al Jazeera quoted Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola saying, "I think the worst thing probably is the uncertainty, that no one knows what’s going to happen," ahead of the match. The Independent published Maresca’s statement that he "trusts the people" at City and is "very proud" to be there.

How it came about

The verdict follows a series of earlier reports covered by Felo News, including the initial finding of 114 breaches (Felo article), the return of City players to the Etihad Campus after the decision (Felo article), and related fallout such as Etihad Airways considering legal action (Felo article). These pieces set the context for the current uncertainty surrounding City’s future in the Premier League.

Key facts

An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of 114 of 115 financial breaches. (independent.co.uk)
The breaches involve more than £900 million of disguised funding. (independent.co.uk)
Manchester City will play Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, the first match since the verdict. (bbc.co.uk)
City have appealed the verdict and maintain they have done nothing wrong. (aljazeera.com)
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said the uncertainty over City’s future is affecting the whole Premier League. (aljazeera.com)

Where accounts differ

Number of breaches found guilty: guilty of the majority of the 115 financial charges (bbc.co.uk); found guilty of multiple breaches (aljazeera.com); guilty of 114 of the 115 breaches (independent.co.uk)