Maresca says City players are 'not worried at all' as guilty verdict looms over Anfield trip

Enzo Maresca has declared his Manchester City players are “not worried at all” about the club’s guilty verdict on Premier League financial charges, as they prepare to face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

On 30 September, the Premier League confirmed that City had been found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of its financial regulations between 2009/10 and 2017/18, with the club accused of artificially inflating revenue by more than £900 million through what were described as ‘sham’ sponsorship deals. City denied any wrongdoing and filed an appeal on 1 October, stating they are “innocent of the accusations” and possess “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” to support their case.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Merseyside, Maresca was measured in his response to the turmoil surrounding the club. “Personally I’m very calm to be honest,” he said. “The club has been quite clear. We trust completely the club.”

The Italian head coach acknowledged the volume of external noise but was firm that his squad’s attention remained fixed on matters they could control. “We understand the noise but the focus for us is just what we can control and we can control just the football side,” he added. “The players are just focused on that. They know their profession and they know that the noise is there but they don’t care too much about the noise.”

Maresca reportedly addressed his players directly upon their return from international duty, urging them not to allow the verdict to disrupt their concentration. City currently sit top of the Premier League table, a fact Maresca suggested was itself a motivating factor. “The feeling is fantastic, to be honest. The players are excited for the next two games. But especially they are excited because in this moment we are top of the league.”

City’s international contingent, including Erling Haaland and Elliot Anderson, returned to training on Thursday as the squad reassembled ahead of what is a demanding week. After the visit to Anfield, City host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League three days later, a fixture at which former manager Pep Guardiola is expected to be in attendance.

Maresca was also keen to rally supporters for the Anfield contest. “First of all, Anfield away, we’re going to bring our passion, we’re going to bring our gameplan,” he said. “But for sure we need their voice, their passion. In the last two days I watched last year’s game at Anfield away and the celebration at the end was fantastic. We need to be all together.”