Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday. It is City’s first game since an independent commission found them guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.
Andoni Iraola’s side won 1-0 at Bournemouth before the international break. That extended their unbeaten run to seven games across all competitions. Enzo Maresca’s City beat Sunderland 5-3 in their last match.
The Premier League confirmed the ruling on Tuesday 29 September. The commission found City guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of its financial rules.
It also found them guilty of most of the charges relating to a failure to cooperate with the investigation. That made 114 of the 115 charges. The Athletic had reported the outcome four days earlier.
The commission found that City arranged “sham” contracts with commercial partners between 2009-10 and 2017-18. The aim was to inflate revenue by £830m. Reports put the combined effect on revenue and costs at more than £900m.
City deny wrongdoing and lodged an appeal at 7pm on Thursday 1 October. The Premier League says sanctions will be decided at a further hearing. The possible penalties include points deductions, fines, transfer bans and expulsion.
Liverpool have their own interest in the case. Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool have lodged legal claims to protect their position if City are found liable.
City won three league titles in the period covered, including 2013-14, when Liverpool finished second.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side finished second to City in 2018-19 and 2021-22. Klopp said he had not given retrospective titles “much thought”.
Away from the pitch, Manchester United academy has made a staffing addition.
Danny Hastings has joined United as U13s Coach Analyst, according to his LinkedIn post.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as U13s Coach Analyst at Manchester United,” he wrote.
Hastings has a Liverpool background. He held a youth role at the club from December 2014 to July 2021.
Danny Hastings spent five years at Fleetwood Town as the club’s U15-U21 Coach Analyst, moving from part-time beginnings to an integral role in the academy structure.
He coached groups ranging from 12-year-olds in the academy to 17-year-olds preparing for men’s football.
He has a UEFA A Licence and the FA Advanced Youth Award (12s-16s).
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