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.

Scarlets were staring down the barrel when trailing 21-7 at half-time against Benetton, and it was the Italians that started the second half stronger.

The match was ultimately won by Sam Costelow’s late penalty but it was swung by the home side’s back three, perhaps showing why Rogers opted for a change of scene.

Full-back Blair Murray won the player of the match award after being a constant menace with ball in hand and coming up with a crucial interception.

That try was followed by a stunning finish by Ellis Mee after a break by fellow wing Macs Page, who continued his strong start to the season with a grubber, gather and perfect pass to the right.

Mee scored his second with fast footwork and, after starting against Argentina and South Africa in July, has the nuts and bolts to remain in Steve Tandy’s line-up.

“We want to create an environment where we get these guys on the ball,” said Scarlets director of rugby Nigel Davies.

“Because of the errors in our game, we couldn’t do that in the first half, but in the second half we did.

“Our highlight reel is quite spectacular after three games, but we need to be more consistent in how we deliver that.”

With Bristol’s Louis Rees-Zammit having returned to being a wing and Josh Adams nearing a return from injury for Cardiff, wide slots are being taken up for the Wales squad.

But if Tandy wants a little bit of stardust then uncapped Page, an unused member of the touring party to Japan in 2025, is providing him with a wildcard option.

“He has a low centre of gravity, is very quick and has a great rugby brain,” said Davies.

“He is similar to someone like Shane Williams – he is all X-factor and is probably one of the first names on our team sheet.”