Liverpool v Manchester City: Toxicity and uncertainty await City at Liverpool – will their season even matter?

Maresca, who has not only inherited Guardiola’s legacy but also the fallout from City’s punishment, was calm itself in the face of a barrage of questions at his media briefing before Sunday’s game.

While being at pains to point out he was present to preview a game against Liverpool, he said: “The reason I joined this club is that I completely trust, 100%, the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, all the organisation. So I don’t have doubt about that.

“It will be a tough game, for sure. We need to be ready, the focus needs to be about the game, but we know the environment at Anfield.

“It probably will be worse because of the situation but, again, it will be our duty to do our best and try to win the game. The reason I decide to become manager is for this type of game.”

Maresca placed the emphasis on “when” City win their appeal, as they vehemently insist the commission’s ruling contained “clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe”.

The commission, in contrast, used the word “sham” eight times when describing City’s dealings, including artificially inflating revenue by more than £900m through “sham” deals.

The danger now is, with sanctions and appeals to come, that this could be known in future as the “sham” Premier League season.

City have assumed their familiar position at the top of the table – but is this a title they cannot “win” with a guilty verdict hanging over them?

Former England striker Alan Shearer told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport: “I just think it’s such a bad look that we’re still having to wait for the consequences.

“We’ve never seen anything like this. This is the biggest thing to happen to the Premier League since it started in 1992, that’s how big it is. Credibility matters and you won’t get anything different from any coach or player at Manchester City other than we’re going to stick together and we believe in the club.

“They’re about to find out the anger from every club, starting at Anfield.