Story perspectives

Man City’s £900m sham deals verdict looms at Anfield

By Drooid · Oct 11, 2026, 2:23 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Manchester City vs Liverpool

Manchester City face Liverpool at Anfield in their first league match after a guilty financial-breaches verdict.
An independent commission found City and owners arranged sham deals inflating revenue by more than £900 million between 2009 and 2018.
City deny wrongdoing and have appealed the verdict covering 114 of the 115 financial charges.
Merseyside Police announced a dedicated policing operation for the expected hostile reception.

Summary

Liverpool Injury Update

Liverpool will miss Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, injured during the international break.
Manchester City says Erling Haaland is fit after a precautionary rest in Norway’s Nations League match.
Phil Foden sits out the Anfield game, serving the final match of his three-game domestic suspension.
Jeremy Jacquet recovered from a thigh problem and is available for Liverpool’s starting XI.

History

Historical Context

In 2014, UEFA imposed a €60 million fine on Manchester City for breaching the newly introduced Financial Fair Play regulations. The sanction followed an audit revealing inflated sponsorship deals with Abu Dhabi United Group, which exceeded revenue limits by roughly £800 million. Today's Anfield clash mirrors that controversy, as the Premier League’s independent commission again cites City’s sham contracts, prompting police deployment. The recurrence underscores stricter enforcement across European football, pressuring clubs like Liverpool to scrutinize transfer spending and compliance frameworks in the coming seasons.

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Manchester City vs Liverpool

Manchester City face Liverpool at Anfield in their first league match after a guilty financial-breaches verdict.
An independent commission found City and owners arranged sham deals inflating revenue by more than £900 million between 2009 and 2018.
City deny wrongdoing and have appealed the verdict covering 114 of the 115 financial charges.
Merseyside Police announced a dedicated policing operation for the expected hostile reception.

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