Gary Neville makes Premier League prediction after Man City beat Liverpool: ‘This is really bad’

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COMMENTSGary Neville has predicted the Premier League will continue to be in a “bad place” for the next few months following Manchester City’s win over Liverpool.

Man City beat Liverpool at Anfield in their first game since being found guilty last month by an independent commission of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period between 2009/10 and 2017/18.

City deny any wrongdoing and have appealed against the verdict.

On the pitch, goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki ensured Man City passed their first public examination with flying colours, though all three strikes came after Ryan Gravenberch was sent-off for two bookable offences.

The result means City are three points clear at the top of the table, but as it’s unclear as to when a final resolution will come, it could cast a shadow over this season’s Premier League title race.

Speaking after the game, Neville – who was on co-commentary for Sky Sports at Anfield – said the situation is “damaging” for the Premier League until there is a verdict over the aforementioned appeal.

“It does feel like when you are watching them, to come and win at Anfield is really difficult and we should be eulogising over them without a ‘but’ or any hesitation, but there is that thing in the back of your mind.

There is going to be a huge cloud hanging over the whole league

“They have done a brilliant job today, they have dominated the game in the last 20 minutes after the red card onwards.

“They have dug in, players like [Gianluigi] Donnarumma, [Ruben] Dias and [Elliot] Anderson in that first half were excellent and stood strong as a group.

“At the end of the game it’s quite hard because you imagining that basically if the guilty verdict is confirmed in January or February, that Manchester City are not going to be in the position that they are in and there is going to be a huge cloud hanging over the whole league.

“This is not good for the Premier League right now, that’s what I have just recognised today, this is really bad for the Premier League and it’s going to continue for a few months.”

Rayan Cherki was on target for Man City in their win over LiverpoolGetty“The word ‘sham’ was used quite a lot and people will think, for the next few months, it’s a ‘sham’ league. We have heard the word ‘cheat’ just ring round the ground basically for the last 10 minutes of the match.

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“We have heard Liverpool fans singing ‘going down’ to a team at the top of the league and it can’t get that negativity out of the heads.

“What we can do is admire the football, we can admire Erling Haaland, Doku and the finishes we have seen, the Cherki goal, the Manchester City fans can celebrate behind the goal but the rest of is were sat there wondering basically what’s going to happen.