Haaland urges City to 'stick together' after guilty verdict ahead of Liverpool trip

Erling Haaland has urged Manchester City to “stick together” and “enjoy the situation” in the wake of the club’s bombshell guilty verdict, with City travelling to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday in their first match since the ruling.

An independent commission recently found City guilty of breaching 114 of the 115 charges levelled at them by the Premier League in February 2023, relating to financial rule violations across a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018. City have strongly denied the charges and launched an appeal.

“We have to stick together, stay with each other, stay positive,” Haaland said. “No matter what happens in life, we always have to have a smile, stay positive, look ahead, and try to win football games, enjoy the situation. We have to stick together, spread the love to each other, stick together, enjoy the ride, smile… I think they [the City fans] are gonna have a good time.”

Haaland’s defiant tone mirrors that of former manager Pep Guardiola, who issued a public statement of support for the club last week and is set to attend City’s Champions League home fixture against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. “I want every single Man City fan to know I am here; more than ever,” Guardiola wrote on social media. “Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”

Current head coach Enzo Maresca is expected to address the verdict at his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of the Anfield trip. City head into the fixture in strong form, sitting top of the Premier League table with a 100 per cent record from their opening five games.

However, the club’s title ambitions remain under serious threat. Among the most serious findings, City were found to have inflated revenue and reduced costs by £900 million, misstated accounts to conceal the club’s true finances, and made undisclosed payments to a redacted employee beyond his primary contract. A significant points deduction remains a possible punishment once the appeals process concludes.