Following the Premier League's confirmation of all charges that Manchester City seriously breached the league's financial rules, The Athletic reported that every away match for Manchester City will present a major challenge, intensifying pressure on manager Enzo Maresca. Their next away fixture is at Anfield.

Reports suggest that Anfield will become a cauldron. For Manchester City, could there be anything more daunting than returning to Premier League action after the international break with an away match against Liverpool in prime time?

The independent commission's conclusion that Manchester City committed 114 of 115 Premier League charges—revealing over 900 million pounds ($1.2 billion) in covert investments by the club's owners to circumvent spending rules—has sparked widespread outrage and calls for severe punishment throughout the football community.

The parties involved insist they have strong grounds to appeal and are prepared to pursue all available legal avenues, suggesting this long and painful legal battle shows no signs of ending.

However, the verdict's details are damning, and the remaining legal proceedings are irrelevant to the thousands of fans who will fill Liverpool's stadium in 11 days, or to supporters of other clubs who have long believed Manchester City would face severe punishment—concerns now vindicated by the commission's findings.

Should the Premier League pursue title stripping, Liverpool would be among the biggest beneficiaries. While Andy Robertson responded diplomatically to Manchester City's guilty verdict—the former Liverpool left-back insisted the players themselves weren't at fault and formed an "incredible team"—his view is unlikely to be shared by supporters, as Manchester City's visits to Anfield have often intimidated visiting fans in recent years, even in normal circumstances.

Even the best teams, at their peak, find that stadium suffocating. For Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, his players, and visiting supporters, this will be an unforgettable experience, giving them a preview of the immense fury they'll face during future away matches, and the atmosphere that rival supporters will also encounter when visiting the Etihad Stadium.

As the Premier League seeks to impose the harshest possible penalties on Manchester City, daily life for everyone associated with the club will become incredibly complicated.

Noel Gallagher, Manchester City supporter and Oasis frontman, revealed he was verbally abused on the street hours after The Athletic reported the verdict on Friday. The widespread backlash will trigger various forms of attack, from lighthearted banter to outright abuse. While office gossip may be irritating, match day atmospheres will surely be exceptionally heated.

Earlier this year, Manchester City were reported to be on the verge of signing English defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace for an alleged weekly wage of £300,000. This news was enough to remind Manchester United supporters that Premier League sanctions still hung over their neighbours. The atmosphere at Old Trafford during the January 17 derby was the most bitter in years.

Manchester City's direct rivals, victims of the team's wrongdoing, will protest loudly. The weight of this verdict means whether Manchester City travel to Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, or Leeds United's Elland Road, they will find no respite.

Manchester City must submit their appeal by Friday. Once submitted, a 12-week period begins, during which a 5-day hearing will take place. Following the hearing, an independent arbitration panel of three additional commission members will issue a ruling within 30 days.

If Manchester City submits their appeal as scheduled on Friday, the entire process should conclude around Christmas, meaning the earliest the case could be resolved is January 24.

This week, Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano told a meeting of European football executives that resolving this case would take "much longer." He also assured club employees that Manchester City would exhaust all available avenues and take every measure to overturn the verdict.

However, rival supporters' judgment won't wait. During this period of discussions about possible sanctions and pending appeal results, Maresca and his players will face immense pressure: every time they step off the coach for an away match, they'll encounter dissatisfaction and anger from every corner of the football world.

Manchester City made a strong start to the season on the pitch. Despite the new manager still being in an adaptation phase and the defence frequently gifting opponents scoring chances, the team still managed five consecutive Premier League wins early on. A few weeks ago, they won the derby at Old Trafford with ten men, and team morale was exceptionally high.

The video message Soriano sent to club employees this week also showed that Manchester City's board has consistently assured the coaching staff and players that legal matters will be handled appropriately by the club. Therefore, despite last week's shocking verdict, it's likely the dressing room will continue functioning as usual, though it's easy to imagine some anxious discussions taking place behind closed doors.

The upcoming match against Liverpool, and the home fixture against Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain three days later, were already considered a major test of Manchester City's strength early in Maresca's tenure. Now, the atmosphere in Anfield's stands will be even more heated; of course, it's hard to imagine PSG fans, owned by Qatar, showing indignation over financial fair play accusations.

Beyond these difficult matches, Manchester City must accept a new reality: until the appeal process concludes, and regardless of its outcome, the club will continue facing public criticism.

From another angle, this situation could also foster a "siege mentality." After the Premier League first announced charges against Manchester City in February 2023, the atmosphere at the Etihad for the subsequent match was notably more unified than the team's otherwise mediocre performance that season warranted. The day before the charges were announced, Manchester City had just lost to Tottenham. Then-manager Guardiola's strong statement, combined with supporters' defiance in facing this legal dispute, genuinely united the club. They went on to win the treble that June.

Now that Guardiola departed at the end of last season, it will be difficult for his successor, Maresca, to replicate that galvanizing effect. Moreover, there remains the possibility of significant points deductions before season's end, and once that occurs, any subsequent improvement in Manchester City's form would instantly become irrelevant.

Though every visiting section will be filled with justified condemnation, Manchester City's loyal supporters are likely to stand firm, countering incoming criticism with their support for the team.

As Manchester City's board and legal team continue negotiating with the Premier League and the independent commission's ruling, the manager, players, and supporters will bear the full weight of this ongoing turmoil.

Traducido por IA.

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