Manchester City will take to the pitch on Sunday for the first time since it was confirmed that the club had been found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules, 114 to be exact. Liverpool fans, arguably the primary victims of City's era of dominance, will be revved up when the teams emerge at Anfield.
Writers' verdicts on the game's meaning
John Cross said this season is in danger of becoming a real farce where nothing on the pitch really matters. While the Manchester City case lingers on - and it is so far from being resolved - the integrity and reputation of the Premier League could be irreparably damaged.
Cross added that if Enzo Maresca can invoke a siege mentality in the City dressing room, it might just happen. There is a time frame on appeal and City are insisting that will prove their innocence. But even if that fails, they can challenge further.
Players' motivation and fan reaction
Andy Dunn said the bottom line is that Manchester City's footballers have nothing left to play for this season. If the club is not given a sanction that guarantees relegation, it will be a seismic shock. Dunn noted that an element of professional pride might kick in at Anfield but motivation will be close to zero.
Dunn also said all this talk of toxicity is a little concerning. As a club under the current ownership, City deserve all the flak coming their way. But their players do not deserve to be abused. Most will be able to shrug it off but the younger ones could struggle, such as 19-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Broader implications for the league
Simon Bajkowski said there's lots of understandable anger flying around the Premier League, but we've seen enough rule-breaking without encouraging more. Football matches have to carry on as normal and, as frustrating as that may seem, the Premier League and many others will secretly love that even if nobody will admit it.
Paul Gorst said an optimistic view, factoring in the timescale of appeals processes, is that Manchester City's case might finally be resolved by the end of this season. Others, however, have suggested this may yet rumble on for years to come. The longer we await a full and final decision, the more farcical the actual football becomes.
Ian Doyle said beyond the existential contemplation of whether anything really matters in life, of course events at Anfield on Sunday will count for something. They'll actually count for a lot. This weekend marks the beginning of a new Premier League era, one where heads can no longer be kept in the sand over the recriminations of wrongdoing.
