Manchester City’s appeal against an independent commission’s guilty verdict has been followed by a message of unity from Erling Haaland, who has urged supporters to remain positive ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool.
“Stick together, enjoy the ride and smile,” the striker told City fans, as the club continues to contest findings that it breached Premier League financial regulations.
The independent commission concluded that City had arranged “sham” contracts with several commercial partners between 2009/10 and 2017/18 as part of what it described as a “disguised funding scheme”. The arrangements were found to have artificially increased the club’s reported revenues by £830 million.
The commission also ruled that the club had filed accounts which concealed the true state of its finances, significantly breached Premier League and UEFA spending limits and broken “well over 100” Premier League regulations.
Three out of four alleged breaches were upheld, while one charge was not proven. The commission also criticised City’s failure to co-operate and act in good faith during the league’s investigation.
Manchester City appeal against verdict
City has rejected the findings and said it is “innocent” of the accusations. In a statement, the club described the judgment as an opinion containing “clear material errors, of law, principle and fact” and argued that it was unsafe.
The club said it had respected due process for eight years while expecting the Premier League board and executive to act as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator. It added that it would pursue every appropriate regulatory and legal avenue available to it.
The appeal has been filed under new rules requiring this stage of the disciplinary process, where possible, to be completed within 12 weeks, with the hearing lasting no more than five days.
However, City’s lawyers could argue that those rules should not apply because the club was charged in 2023 and its hearing took place in 2024, before the accelerated appeal process was included in the Premier League Handbook. The appeal could therefore continue into 2027.
Haaland said the club’s supporters could expect an enjoyable occasion at Anfield, despite the off-field developments.
“We have to stick together. We have to stay with each other, and we have to stay positive,” he said. “No matter what happens in life, we always have to have a smile.”
The Norway international, whose father Alf-Inge played for City, said he cared deeply about Manchester and regarded himself as a supporter of the club.
“I care a lot about the fans because I’m a fan myself, and I feel with them as well,” Haaland said.
He also acknowledged the significance of City’s rivalry with Liverpool, which intensified during the managerial eras of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
“It’s always special to play against Liverpool,” Haaland said. “Every Premier League game is different, and every game against Liverpool is always special.”
