Erling Haaland has broken his silence on Manchester City’s guilty verdict in the Premier League’s long-running financial case. He told his teammates what they need to do as the club heads into one of the most hostile away days of the season.
The Norwegian was among the City squad who returned to the club’s Etihad Campus training base on Thursday to prepare for Sunday’s trip to Liverpool. Enzo Maresca‘s side can expect a fierce reception from an Anfield crowd that has long relished City’s discomfort.
City were found guilty last month of breaching Premier League financial regulations on all but one of 115 charges, following a years-long investigation into the accuracy of the club’s financial reporting. The club, who deny any wrongdoing, are expected to appeal the independent commission’s findings, with sanctions yet to be determined.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the verdict, Haaland struck a defiant but measured tone, choosing to focus on solidarity within the dressing room rather than the legal storm swirling around the club.
“We have to stick together”
“We have to stick together, we have to stay with each other and we have to stay positive,” Haaland said.
The 25-year-old, who arrived at City from Borussia Dortmund for £51.2million in the summer of 2022 and has since established himself as one of the most prolific forwards in the world game, expanded on that message in an interview with Sky Sports.
“And no matter what happens in life, we always have to have a smile,” he added.
“So we have to stay positive, look ahead and then try to win football games and then try to enjoy the situation and the game.
“We have to stick together and we have to spread the love to each other. So, stick together and enjoy the ride and smile.”
A test of character at Anfield
Maresca, taking charge at City for only his first months at the helm, now faces the unenviable task of steering City through sporting adversity while the legal process around the verdict continues to play out.
Sunday’s fixture was always going to be a significant early test of the the Italian era, but the context has shifted considerably since the fixture list was drawn up.
Liverpool’s supporters, who have rarely needed much encouragement to turn up the volume against their fiercest modern rivals, will sense an opportunity to pile further pressure on a City side already contending with questions about their off-field conduct.
City have consistently maintained their innocence throughout the process, which stemmed from a Premier League investigation launched in February 2023.
While no points deduction or other sporting sanction has yet been imposed, the club face the prospect of significant punishment once the appeals process concludes, with some observers suggesting the case could end in one of the most severe sanctions in the competition’s history.
Liverpool have historically proven happy hunting ground for City under Guardiola, and the their modern rivalry has become one of the most compelling in English football.
But with the sport’s spotlight now trained as much on the City boardroom as it is on their forward line, Sunday’s match carries an added edge that neither Haaland nor his teammates can fully escape.
