Liverpool will host Manchester City on Sunday in what will be City's first match since being found guilty of financial irregularities, according to the Echo. At Liverpool, the reaction to the verdict has been one of relief rather than celebration, with the club choosing to maintain public silence for now, believing that public comment would be unwise.

Liverpool has made no special arrangements for Sunday's highly anticipated match, after Manchester City was found guilty last week by an independent Premier League commission of breaching the vast majority of financial rules between 2009 and 2018. The club has communicated with key stakeholders as usual and believes it is perfectly capable of staging the match normally from an operational standpoint.

The match is laden with drama as it marks Manchester City's first fixture since confirmation of its breaches. While there have been discussions about heightened security for the game, current indications suggest that Merseyside Police are planning no special measures for the day. Sources at Anfield note that the club has a long track record of staging major fixtures across various competitions over many years, and therefore anticipates no unusual circumstances for a match of this caliber.

Objectively, the mood at Liverpool was hardly celebratory when Manchester City's guilty verdict was confirmed on 29 September. The Reds could reasonably argue that their trophy haul over recent years would have been considerably richer had Manchester City not gained an unfair advantage through approximately £900 million in inflated revenues. For instance, in the 2013/14 season, Brendan Rodgers' side finished second, two points behind Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City; early in Jürgen Klopp's tenure, the Reds also lost to their rivals on penalties in the League Cup final in early 2016. The knock-on effect of Manchester City's rule breaches allowed them to build the squad under Pep Guardiola that finished ahead of Klopp's team 98 points to 97 in 2019, then again 93 points to 92 three years later.

However, when the news broke, with Premier League CEO Richard Masters stating that Manchester City "systematically breached Premier League rules for nearly a decade," the predominant emotion felt within Liverpool was apparently relief, not anger or elation.

For many at Anfield, last week's independent commission decision came as no surprise. The only surprise was the severity of some of the language used in the 40-page central document published by the Premier League that day. Particularly at board and ownership level, key figures at Liverpool have long championed strict enforcement of financial fair play or similar regulations, with Fenway Sports Group having been vocal about their desire to see such a system implemented since they completed their takeover 16 years ago this month.

Liverpool owner John W. Henry once stated in 2013: "The big question is how effectively the financial fair play rules can actually be enforced." He added with prescience: "Perhaps some clubs only support the concept to limit other clubs' spending, while themselves adopting behaviours specifically designed to circumvent the very rules they claim to support."

The Reds were among four clubs that explicitly reserved the right to claim compensation in 2024 should Manchester City be found guilty. The investigation began in 2023 following emails leaked by German magazine Der Spiegel in 2018. Now, Liverpool can explore compensation options alongside Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United, with recent reports suggesting potential claims could reach as much as £100 million.

Liverpool was informed of the verdict last month when the Premier League sent a communication document to club leadership, requiring a non-disclosure agreement to access the details.

But at this stage, the Reds, like other Premier League clubs, are publicly restrained on Manchester City's fate. Earlier this week, the club's legal team provided guidance to staff on the matter, which is currently under appeal. It is understood that the official club television channel LFCTV also received clear instructions on what could and could not be discussed.

Liverpool currently believes that any public comment on Manchester City's situation would be counterproductive, especially given Manchester City's statement last month when the verdict was first revealed, expressing hope that the investigation process would be "free from bias." In that sense, Liverpool's current silence is indeed golden.

Liverpool unveiled a new lounge on Wednesday to honour the "Forever Reds" group. "Forever Reds" is an association of former players chaired by local broadcaster John Aldridge, aimed at supporting club legends who may need assistance in their later years.

The group also extends its charitable activities to broader organisations across the Merseyside region, including Hillsborough memorial charities and foundations such as Alder Hey Children's Hospital. Wednesday morning's gathering was relaxed in tone, with brief remarks from Jonathan Bamber, the club's head of legal and official relations, and appearances from Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Steve McMahon, Ian Callaghan and Sammy Lee, among others.

Aldridge told this paper: "I've been chairman for probably 10 to 12 years, possibly even longer. Seeing how far we've come, being able to raise funds for those in need across the Liverpool area is something that would have been unimaginable in the past. We initially raised funds for our own players, but we found that giving them money directly would create tax issues, so the club took over that responsibility."

"We now raise funds with the primary aim of helping former players in need. For the rest of the year, we distribute them to the organisations present today. With support from fans and external businesses through golf days, Christmas dinners and a charity match in March (where we share proceeds with the LFC Foundation), we're in a very strong position. It's the right thing to do; for example, Gerry Byrne's situation was dire when he passed away – he gave so much to Liverpool and yet left nothing behind. Such cases deeply move us, and it's better to act now than never. We've been able to look after many great players who gave everything to Liverpool in the past, and we'll continue to do so."

Traduit par IA.

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