Graham Potter couldn't resist a little jibe at Manchester City while sitting next to Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres
Graham Potter cracked a Manchester City gag while sitting next to Viktor Gyokeres in a Sweden press conference
Graham Potter cracked a Manchester City gag while sitting next to Viktor Gyokeres in a Sweden press conference(Image: SportSport)
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Viktor Gyokeres struggled to keep a straight face as Sweden boss Graham Potter cracked a joke about the Manchester City scandal. The former Chelsea and West Ham manager is overseeing the Swedes' quartet of Nations League games, which have begun well with wins over Poland and Romania, Gyokeres finding the net in both.
Ahead of their next match, away to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday, Potter faced the media alongside the Arsenal striker. Potter was addressing the high number of withdrawals from the squad when he quipped: "In terms of withdrawals, we've had a similar Man City's charges, I think."
As Potter smiled and clarified that he was joking, an awkward-looking Gyokeres pursed his lips in a possible attempt to avoid smiling. Meanwhile, there was near silence from the gathering of mostly Swedish reporters.
Fans on social media saw the funny side, though, with one asking: "How did no one laugh at that?" Another said: "Potter really chose violence with that one. The timing, the delivery, and Gyokeres trying not to laugh made it even funnier."
A third quipped: "Graham Potter sued by Etihad incoming." Another chimed in, posting: "He cooked Shamchester City."
Meanwhile, City have lodged their appeal against the damning judgment that they broke 114 Premier League financial rules. An independent commission announced this week that it had found the club guilty of all but one of the charges.
City had until Friday to appeal, with the club announcing just before midday that they had done so. A club statement read: "Manchester City Football Club can confirm that, at 7pm on Thursday 1st October 2026, the club lodged its comprehensive appeal against the opinion of the Premier League commission, in relation to the Premier League disciplinary matter.
"The club's firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe. The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions relating to this case.
Viktor Gyokeres during his joint press conference with Graham Potter
Gyokeres during his joint press conference with Potter(Image: SportSport)
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"We will continue to respect due process and are necessarily restricted in what we can say further until all proceedings are complete."
The commission concluded more than £830million of funding was used to inflate revenues and enable the club to comply with Premier League and UEFA financial rules through a series of "sham" arrangements.
City return to action at Liverpool on October 11. Arsenal host their title rivals on November 29.