Pundits split on Liverpool vs Man City as Haaland fitness and £900m verdict loom large

Premier League pundits are divided over Sunday’s Anfield showdown between Liverpool and Manchester City, with Erling Haaland’s fitness and the shadow of City’s landmark financial verdict adding layers of uncertainty to an already charged fixture.

City return to domestic football for the first time since an independent commission found them guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules across nine seasons, from 2009-10 to 2017-18. The commission ruled that City used ‘sham’ commercial deals to disguise owner funding and arrangements to reduce operating costs — including coach and player wages — by around £900 million. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters described the case as “the most significant in Premier League history.” City have since appealed the verdict and maintained their innocence.

Paul Merson, speaking ahead of the fixture, framed the game as a pivotal moment for Liverpool head coach Ando Iraola. “It’s a huge game for Iraola,” Merson said. “If you’re at Liverpool and you haven’t beaten Manchester City at home and there’s no Haaland, this is headline news. The pressure is on him to get that first win.”

Merson also stressed the importance of the result in the context of the title race. “You don’t want to be nine points behind. I know it’s still early, there’s lots of games, but at the same time, when you’re looking up and Manchester City are nine points ahead of you, it’s not an ideal position to be in. They’re going to have to be aggressive. They have to go and try and win the game because they don’t want that gap to increase.”

Haaland’s availability remains a key talking point among analysts, with several pundits noting that his absence would significantly alter City’s attacking threat and shift the psychological dynamic heading into the match.

City are expected to face a hostile atmosphere at Anfield as they make their first domestic appearance since the commission’s findings were published, adding an unusual backdrop to what is already one of the Premier League’s most anticipated fixtures of the season.