All eyes will be on Manchester City this weekend as it returns to action against Liverpool after being found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Enzo Maresca, Manager of Manchester City portrait before the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester City and Sunderland at Etihad Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca(Image: Getty Images)
Enzo Maresca is set to hold a meeting with his Manchester City players this week as his side prepares to return to action amid the ongoing scandal surrounding the club.
All eyes will be on Anfield on Sunday as Liverpool hosts City in the Etihad club’s first game since it was announced that it had been found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.
City has also been found guilty of the majority of charges relating to its failure to comply with the investigation into the period spanning 2009 to 2018, with the Premier League releasing a damning statement last week accusing the club arranging “sham” contracts.
City maintains its innocence in the matter, and confirmed on Friday that it has launched an appeal refuting the findings of the independent commission.
Nevertheless, the club will likely be set for a frosty reception at Anfield on Sunday in its first game back following the international break.
Ahead of the trip to Merseyside, the Daily Mail reports that City boss Maresca will address his players as a group during their first session back at the club’s training facility on Thursday.
Manchester City FC players
Enzo Maresca will reportedly speak to Manchester City's players on Thursday(Image: Getty Images)
Maresca was seen arriving at the Etihad Stadium on Monday, with the current City boss yet to publicly speak on the club’s situation. His predecessor, Pep Guardiola, did issue a message showing his support for City’s owners.
"I want every single @ManCity fan to know I am here; more than ever,” Guardiola posted on X.
“I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters. Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all."
No sanctions have yet been handed down to City, but the club could face any number of punishments amid calls from pundits and fans for the club to be expelled from the Premier League and for titles to stripped.
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According to the Premier League’s statement last week, the independent commission found City to have arranged what it describes as "sham" contracts with a number of its commercial partners to "artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs."
The commission also determined that City had misstated its accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from both its auditors and football regulators. It added that the club, between the seasons of 2009/10 and 2017/18, was "significantly" in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits.
The statement rounded off the findings by saying that, throughout the investigation, City committed multiple breaches of its duties of co-operation. It added that three of the four alleged breaches on that count were upheld by the commission.