Liverpool is perfect fixture for Man City to stick two fingers up at Premier League after guilty verdict

MANCHESTER CITY will be inside a hostile cauldron of boos when they visit Anfield tomorrow. But it is the perfect fixture for Enzo Maresca’s under-fire side to stick two fingers up at the Premier League. The noise around City’s guilt over financial breaches has been unavoidable since the verdict was delivered on September 29. And when they travel down the East Lancs Road to face Liverpool, the players are going to experience it first-hand, and for the first time. They will have all seen the news over the last fortnight but have been protected by the international break, so have not been faced with the anger the rest of the Prem’s teams are feeling. That will change at Anfield. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL The fixture almost feels scripted, given that Liverpool are top of the list when it comes to the teams that have been hurt the most by City’s cheating and could have built a dynasty under Jurgen Klopp. It is no exaggeration to say Kop fans would be building statues of their old German boss if things had gone differently. The 60,000 Reds in the stands are going to be baying for blood when City walk out and will be doing everything they can to make their stance known. In my experience, Anfield is not quite as intimidating as it used to be — not since they widened their iconic tunnel. Most read in Sport CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS What was once a cramped space that made you feel like you were about to be swallowed up is now 15ft-wide and has players doing kick-ups pre-match. But you best believe the City players will feel like that tunnel is just as tight as it used to be when they are waiting to step out on the pitch tomorrow. I obviously can’t relate exactly to the position Maresca’s lads are in but I remember when I first played following my arrest. It was Peterborough away, not quite Anfield, but every fan from both sides was letting me know how they felt about me. The difference is, I knew I had done something wrong, these City players are not in the same boat. None of them asked for the executives and the financial guys to give them an undeserved competitive advantage. There’s no doubt City will be feeling the pressure pre-game but as soon as the referee blows his whistle, it will be back to business as usual. As a professional footballer, you are like a horse with blinkers on when the game starts and City’s stars will be no different for this match. LATEST: Man City GUILTY of Premier League breaches - Man City launch deadline day appeal against bombshell verdict - City argument against guilty verdict may be undermined by previous evidence - Prem clubs can OVERRULE City expulsion… but get no say in points deduction - City stars could rip up contracts and walk away for free - Ex-chairman says tax chiefs ‘gathering data’ for probe into Man City Timeline: What happens next? - December 25 – Deadline for appeal to conclude (12 weeks after appeal is lodged) - December 14-18 – Possible date for maximum five-day appeal hearing - January 17 – Deadline for commission to produce final verdict But that doesn’t mean they can’t use the noise to their advantage, particularly before kick-off. For me, it is the perfect fixture for Maresca’s men, who go into it with a 100 per cent record after five Prem games. If they were playing Ipswich or Coventry, they would be expected to win and there would be nothing to talk about. This game gives them the chance to lay down a marker and make a statement to the rest of the league with three points against a Liverpool side they have huge history with. It is a wonderful position to be in, especially with current champs and title rivals Arsenal playing a high-flying Leeds side in the early kick-off today. City could feasibly end the weekend five or even six points clear at the top of the table, and wouldn’t that be the greatest way for them to stick two fingers up at the rest of the Premier League. If I was Maresca, I would be using the controversy and the drama to foster an ‘us-against-the-world’ mentality and use it to fuel a title charge. The players might be a bit nervous but these are the games I used to live for. What are Man City charged with? THE Premier League claim Man City hid £900m in 'sham' deals across a nine-year period. They were found guilty on 114 of the initial 115 charges – with the number now up to 130 charges – which fit into six categories… - Failing to give accurate financial information over sponsorship revenue, related parties and operating costs between 2009-10 and 2017/18. Total charges: 50 - Failing to provide full details of managerial remuneration between 2009/10 and 2012/13. Total charges 8 - Failing to provide full details of player remuneration between 2010/11 and 2015/16. Total charges 12 - Failing to comply with Uefa Licencing and Financial Fair Play regulations between 2013/14 and 2017/18. Total charges 5 - Breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability rules between 2015/16 and 2017/18. Total charges 25 - Failing to co-operate with the Premier League investigation between 2018/19 and 2022/23. Total charges 30 - Total charges: 130 If you don’t want to play at Anfield with butterflies in your stomach, then there’s no point even playing professional football. On the other hand, this match could have come at the worst time for Liverpool, who have won two and drawn three so far. Andoni Iraola looks like he is trying to get his team to play controlled and calm football — but the boisterous Anfield crowd will want anything but. Liverpool fans will be demanding crunching tackles, an aggressive press and a performance for their hero Klopp. We can talk forever about the narrative behind the clash but the exciting thing is this game will be decided on the pitch. We can finally do away with arguing about whose lawyer is going to beat whose lawyer in court and ditch lengthy chats about club execs not blinking on camera. I am a big boxing fan. I want to see Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua, not Eddie Hearn v Dana White. It is the same situation here – let it be decided on the pitch. I want to see who is going to kick the s*** out of who this weekend and win the game.