Maresca Breaks Silence on Man City Charges Before Liverpool Clash

Enzo Maresca insists Manchester City are focused on Liverpool despite 115 charges fallout

Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca has said his players are "excited" and "focused" on beating Liverpool at Anfield, despite the club dealing with the fallout from being found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against them.

Fixture: Liverpool vs Manchester City, Premier League, Anfield.
Context: City found guilty of the majority of 115 charges; Premier League report stated "sham" contracts disguised secret funding of more than £830m.
Maresca's mood: "The feeling is fantastic, to be honest."
Haaland's message: "We have to stick together and spread the love to each other."
At stake: City are top of the league and face Liverpool away while appealing the verdict.

What was said

"The feeling is fantastic, to be honest."
— Enzo Maresca, on the mood in the Manchester City squad ahead of the trip to Anfield

"The players are excited for the next two games. But especially they are excited because in this moment we are top of the league. The players are just focused on that."
— Enzo Maresca, on Manchester City's Premier League position

"They know what we can control is the football side, they are not worried at all about different things. They know their profession and they know that the noise is there, but they don't care too much about the noise. They are just focused in this moment on how we can beat Liverpool and how, together with the fans, we can try to win in Anfield."
— Enzo Maresca, on his players ignoring the off-field noise

"I care a lot about this place. I spent my first four years here, it's a special place for us. I care a lot about City and the fans. I am a fan myself. I feel with them."
— Erling Haaland, on his connection to Manchester City and the supporters

"The fans will have a good time on Sunday, we have to stick together. We have to stay with each other and stay positive. No matter what happens in life, we always have to smile. Stay positive, look ahead, and try to win football games and enjoy the situation."
— Erling Haaland, urging unity before the Liverpool match

"We have to stick together and spread the love to each other. Enjoy the ride and smile."
— Erling Haaland, on Manchester City's collective approach

Maresca's words are the standard football response: control what you can control, block out the noise, win the next match. The context is anything but standard. City were found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges, with the Premier League report stating the club used "sham" contracts to disguise secret funding of more than £830m. Anfield is difficult enough in clean circumstances; with the club under the harshest scrutiny in English football, it is something else entirely.

Haaland's intervention is equally deliberate. He does not discuss evidence or appeals. Instead, he speaks the language of solidarity, aligning the dressing room and the fanbase while the legal process continues. For a squad trying to preserve normality while facing abnormal circumstances, that is the obvious play — and the only viable one.

Why Maresca is sticking to the football script

Enzo Maresca has a narrow window to manage this crisis. Several international players only returned to training on Thursday, nine days after the verdict was published, leaving the head coach little time to address the issue directly before the trip to Anfield. His message internally was straightforward: do not let the crisis damage standards or concentration.

That is why he repeats the word "focus" and points to the league table. City are top of the Premier League, and that fact gives Maresca a concrete, football-based anchor for his players. He said he feels "calm" and that the squad trusts the club "completely." Whether that calm holds through 90 minutes at Anfield is another matter, but Maresca has no other option than to project stability.

Erling Haaland reinforces the same brief from the players' side. By talking about smiling and enjoying the ride, he is not dodging the issue; he is protecting the group's emotional state. The striker's public stance, combined with Maresca's calm insistence, is designed to make the noise outside the club irrelevant to what happens on the pitch. City have launched an appeal and continue to maintain their innocence publicly, so the internal message is unlikely to change.

Talking points

Can Manchester City genuinely block out the fallout from a verdict that found them guilty on the majority of 115 charges, or will Anfield expose the cracks?
Maresca says the feeling is "fantastic" because City are top of the league — but is that enough to keep a squad united while an appeal hangs over the season?
Haaland's "spread the love" message is warm, but does it risk looking tone-deaf given the severity of the Premier League's findings?
With several international players only back in training on Thursday, has Maresca had enough time to prepare properly for Liverpool away?

What happens next

Manchester City travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in the Premier League, with Maresca insisting the squad is focused on winning. City remain top of the league and have launched an appeal against the verdict, maintaining their innocence publicly. The result at Anfield will be the first true test of whether the manager's message has held.

Frequently asked questions

What did Enzo Maresca say about the Manchester City charges?

Maresca said his players are not worried about "different things" and are focused on the football side, insisting the feeling in the camp is "fantastic" ahead of the Liverpool match.

Are Manchester City still appealing the 115 charges verdict?

Yes. According to the source article, Manchester City have launched an appeal and continue to maintain their innocence publicly.

What did Erling Haaland say before Liverpool vs Manchester City?

Haaland said the fans will have a good time on Sunday and urged unity: "We have to stick together and spread the love to each other. Enjoy the ride and smile."