Man City beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield amid 114 Premier League charges storm

Manchester City produced a commanding 3-0 victory at Anfield in their first match since being found guilty of 114 Premier League financial rule breaches committed between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki scored after the break to silence a hostile atmosphere that never managed to knock Enzo Maresca's side off their stride.

• City won 3-0 at Anfield with second-half goals from Haaland, Doku and Cherki.
• It was the team's first game since the guilty verdict over 114 Premier League financial rule breaches.
• Liverpool fans protested with banners, chants of 'cheat' and specially printed scarves.
• The club has appealed the verdict and awaits a possible sanction that could include relegation or a record points deduction.
• Maresca and Haaland stressed their focus on what they can control: playing and winning matches.

A champion's display with an asterisk in the table

In any other circumstances, a 3-0 win at Anfield with that kind of authority would have fuelled the narrative of a title-winning side laying down a marker. City hold a three-point lead at the top of the table and are stacking wins with a ease that worries everyone else. Yet the current state of the Premier League makes every result difficult to celebrate without caveats.

The Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp era turned this fixture into the great domestic rivalry of recent years. Now, with Enzo Maresca in the away dugout and Andoni Iraola in charge of Liverpool, the match unfolded in a strange atmosphere. The genuine sense of jeopardy, of something meaningful being at stake, was diluted by the off-field storm surrounding the Manchester club.

How Liverpool fans greeted Manchester City at Anfield

City arrived at Anfield through the staff and contractors' entrance to avoid the reception waiting for them. The home crowd, running on adrenaline, had prepared an atmosphere packed with contempt. Even the much-mocked half-and-half scarves were selling fast, this time with a special twist: one sky blue half read 'Shamchester City - The Cheats'.

The announcement of City's line-up was drowned out by deafening jeers. Banners around Anfield carried a range of messages, including 'A Generation Of Supporters Cheated', 'And After All You Really Robbed Us All' and 'All Of Your Stars Are Fading Away' - the last one a nod to the Oasis song 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out', written by Noel Gallagher, who was in attendance.

City chief executive Ferran Soriano watched on impassively. The away supporters responded with a flag supporting chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak: 'In Khaldoon We Trust. We've Won It All'. They also waved hundreds of inflatable bananas, an old habit from their lower-league days that now carries an unsettling significance given the possibility of dropping down the divisions again.

Haaland, Doku and Cherki seal the win after the break

The first half did much to cool down what had started as a red-hot atmosphere. City kept their composure, refused to be unsettled by Anfield or the storm raging around the club, and then outclassed their opponents after the restart. Haaland, Doku and Cherki scored the goals that wrapped up a victory as comfortable as it was symbolic.

Haaland looked close to tears at the final whistle in front of the away fans, including his father Alf-Inge. Maresca celebrated with pumping fists. Meanwhile, Anfield's DJ played Fleetwood Mac's 'Little Lies' over the loudspeakers as a final message of defiance.

We knew there was going to be noise, but we need to make our own noise by winning games. I try to focus on things I can control. There are things that are not in my hands, so I don't stress about them.

Enzo Maresca summed up his philosophy when facing a situation that lies beyond the dressing room. The Italian coach insists his job is limited to the gameplan and day-to-day training sessions. Everything else, including the outcome of the case, is outside his control.

What Haaland and pundits say about City's situation

For every single person part of Manchester City, every fan, this is a lovely moment that will stay with us for a long time. It was tough, it was hard, but we showed amazing character from back to front. The only thing we can do is play good football and fight together.

Haaland noted how tough it always is to play at Anfield, particularly during the Guardiola-Klopp era. For him, the key was staying mentally strong and united as a team, focusing solely on what happens on the pitch.

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock captured the dilemma many fans face: "This is a brilliant Manchester City team, but you have to caveat it and say they have done it illegally and they bought their way." Warnock admitted admiring the side for their individual quality while stressing that the way it was assembled was not done correctly.

Wayne Rooney, the former Manchester United striker, drew on his experience managing Derby County through a points deduction: "The message to the players was simple: just try to win the next game. All the noise around the club will make them even hungrier to succeed." Rooney pointed out that City could end up fighting for the title or fighting relegation, depending on the final sanction.

The Premier League in limbo as City appeal the verdict

City have appealed the verdict, but until the process concludes and final decisions are made, the season moves forward in a kind of holding pattern. Every win by Maresca's team, every league table, will come with a metaphorical asterisk.

The uncertainty serves no one. The Premier League finds itself in a state of inertia that prevents sporting achievements from being celebrated without scrutiny. When City win at Anfield this convincingly, it should be a victory without qualifications or questions. That is not possible right now.

At the final whistle, the Kop taunted City with chants of 'You're going down'. The away fans answered with their trademark 'We're not really here'. That response sums up a campaign that could yet be rendered void: City might win the title, but no one knows if they will be in the Premier League next season.

As Maresca's side hit top gear and threaten to accelerate away from the chasing pack with wins like this, their final destination remains a complete mystery.

Tactical analysis: why Doku proved key at Anfield

Jeremy Doku did more than just score one of City's goals; his influence on the match ran much deeper. His pace and dribbling on the wing kept Liverpool's defence under constant pressure and opened up the spaces that Haaland and Cherki exploited. The Belgian winger was the visitors' main attacking threat on a night when City executed their plan to perfection.

Frequently asked questions about Manchester City's case