Five games, five wins, 15 points, top of the table. None of it was the story this week.
City were found guilty on the charges and now face sanctions serious enough to include expulsion from the Premier League (18) (19). Then they had to walk into Anfield for their first match since the verdict. Liverpool fans had a banner ready: "a generation of supporters cheated" (8). The squad took the back road in to avoid the bus welcome (5) (10). That is the week.
Maresca's only lever is the football
Enzo Maresca's message to the players was simple: forget the scandal, focus on the title (18). It is the only instruction that makes sense. He has no control over the appeal, none over what comes next, and every reason to keep a squad that has won five from five locked on the next 90 minutes.
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The team sheet did the rest. Erling Haaland was included after the recent injury concerns (7), and Maresca made one change from the previous side (13). Julian Wirtz started for Liverpool, Lewis Koumas got a first start up front with Alexander Isak injured and Hugo Ekitiké out long term (20) (23) (25). Andoni Iraola also lost Dominik Szoboszlai, who was "stram i baksidan" and unavailable (3) (6). On paper, City should have fancied it.
On paper is not Anfield.
The verdict is now the season
Roy Keane said he would be ashamed (14). Herbert Hainer, the Bayern president, was asked about Haaland in the event of relegation and talked around it by praising his own attack instead (26). That is the market reading the risk before the appeal is even heard.
This is the real problem. City's football is the best in the league right now and it is not enough to control the narrative. Every rival fanbase now has a stick, every away ground will bring props, and every pundit gets a free swing. The club can win 1–4 at Crystal Palace on Aug 28, 0–1 at Old Trafford on Sep 13 and 5–3 against Sunderland on Sep 20 and still spend the week being called cheats.
Maresca's line is the right one, but it is also the only one available to him. You cannot argue a guilty verdict away in a press conference.
What to watch
Paris Saint-Germain at home on Wednesday, 21:00. That is the fixture that tells us whether this squad can shut out the noise, because the Champions League has no verdict to hide behind and no margin for a slow start. Then Ipswich Town at home on Saturday, and AEK Athens the following Tuesday.
Haaland starts, and the attack is fine. Whether the dressing room is comes down to Wednesday.
