Manchester City defied chants of “cheats” throughout their clash with Liverpool in their first game since being found guilty of breaking more than 100 Premier League financial rules.
And the team’s celebrations after a dominant victory have provoked yet more backlash.
City shrugged off the threat of major sanctions to beat the 10-man Reds 3-0, with second-half goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki extending City’s flawless start under Enzo Maresca.
City took full advantage after a red card for Ryan Gravenberch on the hour mark swung the momentum their way.
Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki struck in a 13-minute spell after Gravenberch’s dismissal for a harsh second yellow card as City won in front of a crowd at Anfield for only the second time since 2003.
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In the process, they re-established their three-point lead at the top of the table, but the future of any title challenge rests on the outcome of the club’s appeal against widespread financial impropriety.
“We need to learn how to deal with the outside noise, but make our own noise, which is to win games,” said Maresca.
“Our fans were singing at the end, so the noise was from us.”
The sight of City supporters celebrating in the stands left a bitter taste in the mouth for the home side, as well as many watching on.
“This is a total farce,” controversial pundit Piers Morgan wrote on X.
“Manchester City players, and fans, celebrating wildly like nothing has happened – despite the club being exposed as the worst cheats in football history.
“What happens if they win the title again this season? That could ruin the Premier League.”
The battles between Guardiola’s City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in recent years became the Premier League’s marquee event.
But with the eyes of the world watching, Liverpool failed to rise to the occasion on the field.
New Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola’s options were blunted without the injured Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo as the Spaniard suffered his first defeat since taking charge of the Reds.
City’s economic might was on full show and helped turn the game as Maresca could introduce Doku off the bench early in the second half.
Within minutes the Belgian winger had been chopped down by Gravenberch, who was shown a harsh second booking, and Liverpool never recovered.
Doku’s deflected shot was then smashed home by Haaland to break the deadlock 25 minutes from time, opening the floodgates.
Three minutes later Doku curled a sensational strike into the top corner himself.
Cherki then exchanged a slick one-two with Josko Gvardiol before slotting under Alisson Becker to rub salt in Liverpool wounds.
The defeat leaves Liverpool nine points adrift of the leaders down in ninth.
‘FUNDAMENTALLY CHEATED’: BACKLASH INTENSIFIES
An independent commission found City and their Emirati owners arranged “sham” deals to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion) between 2009 and 2018.
No sanction has yet been handed down, but a severe points deduction or even expulsion from the English top flight are on the table unless City overturn the decision.
There has even been speculation there could be retrospective action to strip titles, with the multiple breaches coming during a period in which City won three titles and a clutch of other trophies.
Liverpool were one of the clubs most affected, having finished second to City three times in the past 12 years.
Vision from before the game showed Reds fans venting their anger at rival supporters, who arrived with a police escort.
“City have fundamentally cheated to win those leagues,” Jamie Gallaghie, a 48-year-old teacher, told AFP.
The visitors arrived under the protection of a police escort with a hostile Anfield welcome expected, but there was no repeat of the violent scenes when their team bus was pelted by bottles ahead of a Champions League clash in 2018.
Liverpool fans lined the streets to greet the City players with chants of “cheats” and “going down”, while merchandise stalls were littered with flags and scarves mocking their rivals’ financial scandal.
In the iconic Kop end behind one goal a banner read “a generation of supporters cheated.”
Reds fans lined the streets around their iconic home for hours before the 1530GMT kick-off, with merchandise stalls littered with flags and scarves mocking City’s financial scandal.
The visitors’ bus arrived via a police escort on a different route than normal to avoid the large crowds.
But there was no repeat of the violent scenes before a Champions League clash between the clubs in 2018 when the City bus was pelted with bottles.
The multiple breaches of Premier League laws came during a period in which City won three titles and a clutch of other trophies.
City’s rivals believe, however, that the illegal spending during that period also built the foundations for a golden era under former boss Pep Guardiola, who left at the end of last season.
Twice Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool missed out on the title to Guardiola’s side despite amassing more than 90 points.
The potential sanctions range from a heavy points penalty or even expulsion from the English top flight. There is even speculation that City could have titles taken away.
“There are so many moments and memories we can’t get back,” Liverpool fan Martin Reilly, 23, told AFP.
“They have to throw the book at them.”
No sanction has yet been imposed and City, who have appealed against the decision, continue to protest their innocence.
“It’s difficult right now, there are a lot of questions. But you’ve got to back your club,” said City supporter Colin Bradshaw, a 22-year-old retail worker.
As a result of the guilty verdicts, the Premier League season is in a state of stasis awaiting a ruling on the appeal and any potential punishment.
“I think they have to be stripped of the titles. Otherwise you send the wrong message to anyone in the future,” John Gibbons of Liverpool podcast The Anfield Wrap told AFP.
“There can’t be any trust now, certainly not if there’s not an admission of guilt. For me, I don’t see how Manchester City continue in the league.”
Maresca, meanwhile, said City must “make their own noise” to drown out the distraction of the guilty verdict.
The Italian has won his eight games in all competitions to take City three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
But the future of City’s title challenge likely rests on the outcome of the club’s appeal against the verdict of an independent commission.
“It was not easy for the players after the last two or three weeks but they dealt with the situation very good,” Maresca said.
“I said during the week we need to lean how to deal with the outside noise, but make our own noise, which is to win games.
“Our fans were singing at the end, so the noise was from us.
“To win 3-0 at Anfield is a great result for sure. In this moment all the organisation needs this kind of win.
“It’s good for us as a coaching staff, the players, the organisation. This kind of win is good for all the club.”
Maresca also refuted suggestions that his celebrations would be tempered by the uncertainty of not knowing if the three points will ultimately matter at the end of the season.
“You cannot imagine how happy I am,” he said.
“I am here to try to prepare the games and win the games. Hopefully, I can speak about this situation when we win the appeal.”
Iraola, though, believed Liverpool were the better side until Gravenberch’s controversial exit for two quickfire yellow cards.
“There were two different games. One until the red card and one from the red card until the end,” said the Spaniard.
“We were the better team until the red card and they were better than us obviously after and scored the goals.”
Erling Haaland said the win showed the club will “stick together”, insisting their defiant performance proved they are still committed to the City cause.
“Every single person that is part of Man City, and every fan, this is a lovely moment that will stay with us for a long time,” he said.
“It was hard, but we showed amazing character from back to front. So proud of everyone. It’s always tough to come here.
“Important to stay strong mentally, stick together and do what you can do something about and the thing we can do something about is to play good football and fight together. That’s the only thing we can do.”
Whether they are able to maintain a title challenge with a potential punishment looming remains to be seen, but Haaland said City’s players can only concentrate on their performances while the club’s Abu Dhabi-based owners deal with the legal ramifications of the verdict.
“You want to win games, it’s as simple as that. Perform well, play good football and win games. This was a mental battle,” he said.
“Proud that we managed to stick together, we are mentally strong. Plenty of games coming up so time to recover and go again.”
CURIOUS HERRINGTON SIGHT IN HULL DRAW
For the first time since his Premier League debut, Lucas Herrington watched on from the sidelines for the entirety of Hull City’s rollicking 2-2 draw with Everton.
The rising star has become a crucial cog for Hull in their unexpected start to the season, having set an Australian transfer record when signed from MLS club Colorado City following the World Cup for nearly AUD$33 million.
The 19-year old’s influence has steadily grown with every passing match, and he played all 90 minutes on starting debut against Newcastle in the Tigers’ last match before the international break.
But Herrington was an unused substitute in a high-scoring draw at MKM Stadium, which takes his team to nine points from six Premier League games with only one loss.
A poor turnover from Everton’s Ainsley Maitland-Nile allowed Joe Gelhardt to open the scoring for the Tigers, before the Toffees cancelled it out five minutes later through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as Maitland-Niles made amends with an excellent cross.
The teams again traded goals in the second half, with Thierno Barry linking with Dewsbury-Hall for a 2-1 Everton lead in the 68th minute, only for Hull to reply in the 74th when star striker Mohamed Belloumi beat Jordan Pickford.
Belloumi had started on the bench alongside Herrington, with manager Sergej Jakirovic saying he was “tired” after representing Algeria in the international window.
The explanation led to an amusing moment on Sky Sports when former great Roy Keane cracked a smile at being told – with the rest of the panel in stitches.
“In the end, I think it’s a fair result,” Jakirovic said.
“We used their mistakes, we scored the goal – but unfortunately, we gave them two goals, and at this level, these will be goals.
“We needed to have better decisions. We were scrappy on the ball. This is the player’s decision – you cannot change anything.
“But in the end, I think we should be happy with this point.”
‘SLAPSTICK’ GOAL BURNS FOREST ON GAFFER’S PALACE RETURN
Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner was beaten on his return to Crystal Palace as Daichi Kamada’s first Premier League goal inspired the Eagles’ 3-1 win on Sunday.
Glasner was back in south London for the first time since leaving Palace at the end of last season.
The 52-year-old Austrian led Palace to a shock FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City in 2025 and masterminded their UEFA Conference League success in May.
Glasner opted to quit Selhurst Park after reported issues with the club’s hierarchy over their transfer policy, opening the way for his move to Forest.
He was greeted warmly by Palace fans before kick-off and it looked like being a victorious return for Glasner when Forest’s Dan Ndoye opened the scoring in the third minute.
But Forest wasted a host of chances to increase their lead and Japan midfielder Kamada levelled in the 41st minute to end his long wait for a top-flight goal.
Jefferson Lerma nodded Palace in front in first-half stoppage time and Yeremy Pino’s 59th-minute goal sent Glasner home empty-handed.
It was a first home league victory for Palace boss Pierre Sage, who was hired from Lens after Glasner’s departure.
Glasner joined Forest in the wake of tension between the clubs, sparked by the legal fallout from Palace’s demotion to the Conference League before the 2025-26 season, with Forest taking their place in the Europa League.
The Forest boss did not escape with a cheeky send-off from the Palace supporters, who chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” chant minutes before the final whistle.
“We didn’t kill the game off and we should have done it, creating so many chances. We conceded a slapstick goal and we are 3-1 down,” Glasner said.
“Today it looks like it is just me who is responsible for this, call it karma or whatever but it was like I didn’t deserve to win at Selhurst Park because the players did everything.” Forest sit in 14th place, with Palace climbing above them into 12th. Hull extended their unbeaten home record since returning to the Premier League with an 2-2 draw against Everton at the MKM Stadium.
Joe Gelhardt opened the scoring for Hull in the 48th minute following an error by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall equalised seven minutes later, with Thierno Barry putting Everton ahead in the 68th minute.
Hull responded swiftly as substitute Mohamed Belloumi levelled in the 74th minute.
Fifth-placed Everton remain unbeaten in six league games, while ninth-placed Hull have lost just one of their six matches since earning promotion last season.
Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic said: “I can be happy with the boys because we showed good mentality.
“A point is good. We never surrendered. It’s not easy to beat us.”
