Erling Haaland has urged Manchester City fans to stick with the players ahead of the club's first match after a seismic guilty verdict on financial violations.
The Premier League announced on Sept. 29 that City has been found guilty on all charges related to serious breaches of the league's financial rules.
An independent commission found that City was guilty of all charges related to the league's financial rules over a nine-season period, from 2009-10 through 2017-18. Additionally, City was found guilty in the majority of charges related to its failure to cooperate with the investigation. City has appealed the ruling.
Should the appeal be rejected, City could face an unprecedented set of sanctions. Any number of potential punishments are on the table,
including relegation, points deductions, stripping titles and even a forced sale from the club's Abu Dhabi-based owners.
With all that in the background, City will face perennial rival Liverpool on Sunday, Oct. 11 in what promises to be an emotionally charged atmosphere at Anfield.
Ahead of the match, Haaland was asked in an interview with Sky Sports if he had a message for the club's traveling supporters.
"I think they're going to have a good time (at the game)," the star forward said. "We have to stick together. We have to stay with each other, and we have to stay positive. And no matter what happens in life, we always have to have a smile. So we have to stay positive, look ahead, and try to win football games, and then try to enjoy the situation and the game."
Haaland was not asked specifically about the charges.
Liverpool finished runner-up to Man City in the Premier League in 2013-14, one of the seasons in which City was found guilty of breaking the league's financial rules. The Reds also finished second behind City in 2018–19 and 2021–22.
This season, Liverpool has two wins and three draws in its opening five league games, entering the weekend in sixth place. Man City is in first, having won all five of its games so far.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Erling Haaland urges fans to 'stick together' after Man City's guilty verdict
