The Telegraph has commented on the charges shadowing Manchester City, stating that they make all the matches currently being discussed feel like a bubble of illusion.

"Fraudulent": This word now clings to Manchester City like tar. It appears eight times in the independent commission's core findings about them, describing everything from sponsorship deals to "Fordham arrangements"—which have been revealed as circular image rights schemes that functioned as a cover for Gulf state funding. So if Manchester City's modern dynasty was built on fraudulent schemes, is it logical to say that they are a fraudulent club? And is the Premier League, which allowed them to dominate through artificially inflated commercial revenue exceeding £900 million, also essentially a fraudulent competition?

As a purely passionate spectacle, Manchester City's visit to Liverpool on Sunday is absolutely not to be missed. It is a perfect snapshot of the fierce reception they may face away from home before their ban takes effect. However, from a purely sporting perspective, the significance of this match is harder to measure. On one hand, Manchester City looks as formidable as ever, currently topping the league with five wins and playing superbly, very likely to continue tormenting Liverpool under Arne Slot, who is struggling to find his footing. Yet all of this now seems destined to be re-evaluated, or even erased.

If the final punishment turns out to be so severe that it voids these results, what is the point if Manchester City remains unbeaten through Christmas and beyond? There is open talk of point deductions of 60, 80, or even 100 points, which transforms everything we see on Sunday into a phantom match.

Maresca's first press conference was a waste of time. He said nothing of substance, sticking to prepared statements, insisting that he believes in the club and that winning an appeal is inevitable. Moreover, he kept repeating that he and his team "can only control the football side." He seems unaware that it is precisely on the "football side" where Manchester City committed massive fraud, completely destroying any possibility of fair competition through the unlimited sovereign wealth of Gulf states with boundless acquisition power. Sport cannot be separated from the mechanisms that corrupt it. This is why all of Manchester City's achievements under Sheikh Mansour's era are asterisked, and why even this newly begun Premier League season is shrouded in fog.

Consider this: Manchester City versus Liverpool was once hailed as the pinnacle of English football aesthetics. The clash between Klopp and Guardiola became unmissable viewing, a display of elite sophistication, such that after the thrilling 2-2 draw in 2022, both managers naturally embraced each other.

It is no longer possible to view their rivalry through that lens. Watching Manchester City reach its peak during that period feels like watching Armstrong effortlessly climb an extremely difficult mountain without any struggle at all. At that time, you did not know how they did it; you were simply convinced it was not legitimate, and now that the fraud has been exposed, you have no desire to watch it again.

Liverpool fans understandably believe their golden era was cheated. In 2014, their club finished second behind Manchester City, a season in which their rivals' owner injected an additional £111.5 million, almost seven times the amount of legitimate sponsorship. And during the period when Manchester City refused to cooperate with the Premier League investigation, Klopp led his team through two of the greatest "runner-up" campaigns in history, with 97 points in 2018-19 and 92 points in 2021-22, yet Liverpool reluctantly finished as runners-up, succumbing to these Sky Blue giants twice. Their anger at what nearly transpired is too intense to be eased merely by reallocating titles. It is a sense of injustice that, at least for one afternoon, must be channeled into relentless mockery.

Too many managers have held back, perhaps afraid of offending Manchester City or Guardiola. It is genuine relief when Holloway, the Swindon manager (an English League Two side—a level Manchester City may soon face), boldly expressed the anger ignited by this situation: "I lost," he recalled, remembering facing Manchester City as Blackpool manager in 2010, "because we were not good enough. Someone allowed a team to cheat. For me, it is all too late now. But I would genuinely take everything from them and make them start again. It is shameful, and they still refuse to admit it. I would kick them out. Out. How dare you destroy part of the DNA of our country?"

As a primal roar of anger, this is quite remarkable. If Manchester City has any soul left, this voice should make them shudder.

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