Following a groundbreaking guilty verdict, Manchester City is set to make their highly anticipated return to the Premier League at 4:30 PM on Sunday, facing a determined Liverpool side at Anfield. Under the guidance of Enzo Maresca, City remains the only team in the Premier League with a perfect record after five matches in the 2026-27 season. However, their on-field achievements have been overshadowed by the shocking news that emerged during the international break. While Maresca may remain optimistic, a significant number of rival fans are hoping for a different outcome, as an independent commission has ruled that Manchester City is guilty of nearly all the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League over the past three and a half years. The allegations range from creating purportedly fraudulent contracts to conceal actual financial figures to allegedly failing to cooperate with official investigations. This ruling has sent shockwaves through English football, yet the club firmly denies any wrongdoing and has filed an appeal. Jose Mourinho humorously remarked that he could be 80 years old by the time the case concludes, but the appeal process is expected to wrap up within 12 weeks. In the meantime, Maresca's squad must concentrate on their performance on the pitch. Since their Community Shield loss to Arsenal, the Citizens have performed almost flawlessly, winning their first five Premier League matches with a combined score of 13-5, while also achieving success in the Champions League and the EFL Cup. Just before the international break, City overcame a challenge from Sunderland, winning 5-3 despite a hat-trick from Brian Brobbey. Now, they are bracing for an electrifying atmosphere at Anfield. Liverpool, who narrowly missed the title in the 2013-14 season during the period of City's alleged violations from 2009 to 2018, will undoubtedly be motivated by their passionate fanbase.