Liverpool 0-3 Man City: Defiant Champions Silence Anfield in First Match Since Guilty Verdict

Manchester City walked into the most hostile atmosphere in English football and walked out with the most defiant result of the season. The Premier League leaders beat 10-man Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield on Sunday — their first match since an independent commission found them guilty of serious breaches of the league's financial rules — and stretched their perfect start to six wins from six.

The trip to Merseyside was City's first game after the commission ruled the club had arranged "sham" deals to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million between 2009 and 2018. City have appealed the verdict and continue to deny any wrongdoing. No sanction has yet been imposed.

The reception: boos, banners and chants of 'cheats'

There was no mistaking the mood. Liverpool fans lined the streets around Anfield for hours before the 3:30pm kick-off, with merchandise stalls selling flags and scarves mocking City's financial scandal. The visitors' bus arrived via a police escort on an alternative route to avoid the crowds. Inside the stadium, City's players were greeted by a chorus of boos during the warm-up and ahead of kick-off — and by chants of "cheats" that echoed around the ground in the closing stages.

"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."

The turning point: Gravenberch sees red

For an hour, the game was goalless and tense — City's expected goals stood at just 0.16. Then came the moment that changed everything: Ryan Gravenberch was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Jérémy Doku, a decision Gary Neville called "very soft" on commentary. Two minutes and 36 seconds later, Erling Haaland smashed City ahead. Doku curled in a sublime second two minutes after that, and Rayan Cherki sealed a dazzling afternoon's work twelve minutes from time.

By the time Cherki scored, many Liverpool fans had seen enough and were heading for the exits with more than ten minutes still to play.

What the guilty verdict means — and what comes next

The commission's findings cover a nine-season period in which City won three Premier League titles and a clutch of other trophies. Rivals believe the illegal spending built the foundations for the golden era under Pep Guardiola, who left at the end of last season. Twice, Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool missed out on the title to Guardiola's side despite amassing more than 90 points.

The potential sanctions remain the biggest unknown in English football: a heavy points deduction, expulsion from the top flight, and even the stripping of titles have all been speculated about. "The worst thing probably is the uncertainty, that no one knows what's going to happen," Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola said before the match. City, led by manager Enzo Maresca, insist they will overturn the ruling on appeal.

For now, though, the message from the pitch was unmistakable: whatever happens in the courtroom, this team is still the best in the league.

Sources

• Sky Sports: Liverpool 0-3 Man City — leaders make defiant statement with Anfield victory
• AFP via Le Pays de France: Man City branded 'cheats' in hostile Liverpool reception
• Straits Times: Manchester City guilty verdict reignites Liverpool rivalry

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Rodhullandemu (Paisley Gateway, Anfield).