Manchester City

Manchester City confirmed on 2 October that the club had lodged an appeal against the independent commission's findings after it was found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations.

The club said the commission's ruling contained "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe".

Asserting its innocence, City's statement added that it had filed "a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence [that] exists in support of all of its positions".

The Football Association said the verdict against Manchester City had "significant implications for the integrity of the game".

English football's governing body added: "We are carefully considering the decision and its implications and will take action where appropriate.

"As proceedings between the Premier League and Manchester City Football Club remain ongoing, we do not intend to comment further at this stage.

"We will, however, continue to monitor developments closely."

The overarching powers the FA has could see the governing body launch its own investigation into the matter, with the threat of further sanctions.

Premier League

As we know, Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

An independent commission found that, during that time period, the club arranged "sham contracts" with a number of commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City made what they will regard as a powerful statement in the most hostile territory against Liverpool at Anfield - but is it a statement that carries any weight during a Premier League season in limbo?

City's attention turned to on-field matters in their first game since being found guilty of 114 charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between 2009-10 and 2017-18.

The fates, and fixture list, decreed it would be at Liverpool, whose fans nurse the most burning sense of injustice after finishing second to City in 2013-14, 2018-19 and 2021-22.

Their argument centres on the belief those titles could have been theirs had City not possessed the high finance of their Abu Dhabi-based owners, using it in the manner that led to them being investigated.

With this as the backdrop, City strode into this fevered Anfield atmosphere, with Liverpool fans high on adrenaline and determined to make their contempt for their rivals obvious - then outclassed Andoni Iraola's side in a 3-0 win.

On another day, in other circumstances, the manner of City's victory would have fed the narrative that this was a performance of champions, a winning marker laid down to their rivals as they hold a three-point lead at the top of the table.

Not here. Not in the Premier League's dysfunctional state.

Read Phil's full piece here: Man City's statement win has feeling of irrelevance with season in limbo

Sam Lee
The Athletic Manchester City correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live

Is there not an element of humour in the outcome yesterday?

I know it's serious and I know City can still be punished and the fun the away end was having might not last forever in terms of serious punishments that might be coming later on.

But if this was in another country and we were looking at things less emotionally; there's a Barcelona case at the moment where they're accused of paying the referee vice president loads of money over 17, 18 years, if they get found guilty of that and they play Real Madrid in the next game and they win because of a refereeing mistake, I think we'd laugh about that and go 'that's actually quite funny'. People were expecting a cathartic result.

John Cross
Daily Mirror Chief Football Writer on BBC Radio 5 Live

Can we believe what we see? Of course we can't. We're in limbo here because ultimately been found guilty.

In a few weeks time, will they still have the same motivation when they play against Brighton or Aston Villa when the punishment has been brought and if they are facing a huge points deduction or something like that? Will they still keep the same motivation that Erling Haaland showed? And how is that fair on Liverpool? How is that fair on the rest of the division? Everyone is expecting the appeal to fail because they're coming at it with the same evidence that was rejected the first time.

I don't think you can take a barometer or a temperature test until you're there in the stadium and actually see it - I felt wronged by the outcome yesterday and can the viewers around the world believe what they're seeing and still actually trust it?

John Cross
Daily Mirror Chief Football Writer on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is in serious danger of becoming a farce. Having been at Anfield yesterday, I wonder if it has already become a farce.

I wasn't too sure what to expect and a few fans of other clubs might think I've been too sympathetic and understanding of City along the way but as soon as they've been found guilty - and they have been found guilty - I know they're appealing and I know people refer to the process but I think the whole ball-park changes.

But I wasn't quite sure how much that changes until I was at the game yesterday and just watching it.

I thought it would be more raucous the atmosphere and everything that went with it. It reached pitch-level at kick-off and it inspired Liverpool for the first half but the reality was Manchester City were the much better team yesterday. Yes the Gravenberch red card changed the game but they saw it through and won.

Manchester City fans defiantly waved bananas and unfurled banners of their own at Anfield, with messages of support including "In Khaldoon we trust," "Not guilty" and "In Blue from Division Two", referring to their rise since winning the third tier play-off final in 1999...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio 5 Live

Today's 5 Live morning phone-in programme is dedicated to the question above - has this Premier League season been rendered moot by the guilty verdicts against Manchester City?

Click the 'listen live' button near the top of this page to tune in.

The Liverpool fans at Anfield on Sunday made their feelings known about Manchester City with an array of banners questioning their recent success...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City fans brought tens of inflatable bananas to the Anfield away end yesterday to show their support for the club and you can find out why by watching below.

Wayne Rooney
Former Man Utd striker on Match of the Day

No-one knows where it is going to end up, so it's a bad situation to be in, but as far as those [Manchester City] players are concerned all they can do is go out and do their job on the pitch.

The powers above them will decide their punishment but they can only go out there and play and try to beat what is in front of them.

On the pitch, yesterday's match was a tightly fought encounter until Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch got his second yellow card in the 62nd minute.

There were just two minutes and 37 seconds between Gravenberch been sent off for Liverpool and Erling Haaland putting Manchester City 1-0 ahead. Eleven of City's 15 shots today came after his dismissal.

After taking the lead, City dominated. Despite only coming on in the 56th minute, Jeremy Doku recorded the most dribbles of any City player, while Rayan Cherki's goal to make it 0-3 came at the end of a sequence of 41 passes - the longest in the build up to a Premier League goal since Phil Foden’s strike against Nottingham Forest in September 2023.

It all led to Liverpool’s joint-biggest defeat at Anfield in the Premier League after 4-1 defeats in October 2005 (v Chelsea) and February 2021 (v Man City) and 3-0 defeats in August 2015 (v West Ham) and November 2025 (v Nottingham Forest).

Liverpool fans made their feelings known before and during the game with constant "cheat" jibes at Anfield.

The game opened in a predictably fevered atmosphere as the Kop delivered taunts about the guilty verdict, unfurling banners emblazoned with messages such as 'A Generation Of Supporters Cheated'.

Even the derided half-and-half scarves were doing a roaring trade, until it was noticed the sky blue half read: 'Shamchester City - The Cheats'.

The announcement of City's line-up was drowned out by deafening jeers, while banners around Anfield carried a variety of messages.

They included, 'And After All You Really Robbed Us All' and - in a nod to the Oasis song Stop Crying Your Heart Out, written by Noel Gallagher who was at Anfield, 'All Of Your Stars Are Fading Away'.

City fans responded backing their owners by brandishing a flag reading 'In Khaldoon We Trust', among others.

We imagine one or two of you may have something to say after yesterday's match. Lucky you, you can just click on the Get Involved button and have your say.

Keep it PG, folks.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Manchester City's first game since being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial regulations ended in victory as they outclassed Liverpool at Anfield.

Enzo Maresca's side restored their three-point lead at the top of the table in emphatic fashion - but there remains the sense that this is a season in limbo as City await their punishment, with the potential for Premier League expulsion, relegation or record points deductions.

City responded with a measured display before picking Liverpool apart, who had been reduced to 10 men when Ryan Gravenberch was sent off.

Erling Haaland broke the deadlock with a thunderous finish after 65 minutes, substitute Jeremy Doku adding the second with a stunning strike into the top corner three minutes later.

And City confirmed their vast superiority when Rayan Cherki produced brilliant individual skill to make it 3-0 12 minutes from time.