Manchester City visit Anfield on Sunday for a match that now carries far more than three points. An independent commission has found that City breached Premier League financial rules, and the club is appealing. CBS Sports and The Guardian both framed the fixture around the hostile reception the visitors should expect from Liverpool supporters.
Kickoff is set for 11:30 a.m. ET, with NBC broadcasting. CBS Sports lists Liverpool at +170, the draw at +260 and City at +145.
What the ruling covers
According to CBS Sports, the breaches span the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons. That window includes 2013-14, when Liverpool, then under Brendan Rodgers, finished runners-up, two points behind Manuel Pellegrini's City. Both sides topped 100 league goals that year.
City maintain their innocence, as CBS Sports noted, and the question of possible penalties hangs over the club. The outlet raised the prospect of heavy point deductions or even expulsion, and suggested that the owners could face a decision about selling depending on the outcome. Those are CBS Sports' speculation, not announced sanctions.
A charged atmosphere
Anfield has not hosted a Premier League game in nearly a month, because of the schedule and a three-week international break. The last one was a flat draw with Fulham, and CBS Sports argued that supporters are eager for the Reds' return and ready to answer the City decision.
City arrive unbeaten, while Liverpool are trying to climb back into the top four. CBS Sports also recalled the 2018 Champions League quarterfinal, when the red-clad approach to the ground affected City's players, according to Pep Guardiola.
Maresca asks for unity
City manager Enzo Maresca has appealed to the club's travelling fans. In a club interview, he said: "We need to be all together." CBS Sports reported that he also said his squad will be ready and that he is calm about the off-field matters.
CBS Sports pointed out that it is hard to gauge how City's away support feels about the charges, even though many fans back the club's stance.
What comes next
The schedule does not ease up. Paris Saint-Germain visit City in the Champions League on Wednesday, and CBS Sports reported that Guardiola, the club's former manager, will be at the Etihad to show his support. For City, the afternoon at Anfield doubles as a test of how the team copes with the noise around it. A slip could feed the sense of crisis, while a result could settle some nerves before the week's next big match.
Reporting sources: Sport | The Guardian, “Manchester City face hostile Liverpool reception after guilty verdict – matchday live” · CBS Sports Headlines, “Three huge questions as Man City face hostile Anfield reception vs. Liverpool following Premier League ruling”.