Erling Haaland publicly backed Manchester City and their Abu Dhabi owners, then purchased a luxury home in Abu Dhabi, according to the Daily Mail.

The 24-year-old striker scored at Anfield on Sunday, helping Manchester City to a 3-0 victory over Liverpool. This was the first match since an independent commission found Manchester City guilty on all charges of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules.

Ahead of the high-stakes clash, Haaland publicly supported the team, urging fans to "enjoy the journey," a statement that aligns with the position of Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners, who are strongly appealing the verdict.

The move is also seen as Haaland reaffirming his loyalty to Manchester City and the Abu Dhabi United Group. He purchased a luxury home in the new Ohana Development on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE.

His 53-year-old father, Alf-Inge Haaland, also acquired a residence in the same community. Properties there are reportedly valued at up to £7.5 million.

Manchester City has a significant presence in the Yas Island project, which features the club's youth academy, a dedicated "City Lounge," and the team's crest and branding throughout the community.

Haaland recorded a video message at the project's launch, alongside his father Alf-Inge and former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola also expressed support for Manchester City following the guilty verdict. The commission determined that Manchester City used "fictitious" commercial agreements between 2009 and 2018 to conceal over £900 million in injections from their Abu Dhabi owners, artificially inflating revenue and suppressing costs.

According to an article published in Architectural Digest in June, Haaland's property portfolio includes two properties in England, as well as homes in Marbella, Málaga, and Oslo.

Following Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Liverpool on Sunday, manager Enzo Maresca downplayed the club's conviction, repeatedly referring to the controversy as "noise."

He said: "There will always be noise, so we must learn how to deal with it. But at the same time, we have to create our own noise, and our noise is winning games, which is what we did today. At the end of the game, our fans were singing, so the noise comes from us, not from outside.

"There will be noise at all away games, so we have to learn to deal with it. At the same time, we have to create our own noise. Our noise is our fans singing at the final whistle, and that must be our goal right now."

Before the match, Haaland told Sky Sports: "We have to stick together. No matter what happens in life, we have to support each other and stay positive – we always have to smile. We have to stay positive, look forward, try to win football games, and enjoy the situation. We have to stick together and show love to each other. Be united, enjoy the journey, and keep smiling."

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