“Last month, the Premier League confirmed The Athletic’s reporting that Manchester City had been found guilty on nearly all charges relating to breaches of financial regulations. The decision has shaken football to its core. City have lodged an appeal, arguing the decision contains clear multiple errors and maintaining that they are innocent of the accusations, with a ‘body of irrefutable evidence’. Here’s the full 40-page document released by the independent commission that heard the case — with key passages annotated by The Athletic. Download the original PDF.
NYT/ATH [PDF]

Spectre of ghost football hangs over Manchester City win of unknown significance Jonathan Wilson
“The Cimbri are heading menacingly south, but in Rome life goes on. The asteroid is definitely coming this way, but people go to work, eat, drink, plan as usual. The White Walkers are approaching the Wall, but the squabbles between the great houses go on. Everyone in the Premier League knows the crisis is approaching, thinks – hopes, fears? – it may be apocalyptic, but until it arrives, what can you do but carry on? After any break, there’s always an awkward moment while everybody resets. What was the cliffhanger we left the soap opera on? What new plotline had just been seeded? This is one of the reasons international weeks are so disruptive. …”
Guardian

Why Liverpool against Manchester City will be one of the weirdest games in Premier League history
“For all the talk of how dangerous AI can be, what with the warnings about recursive self-improvement and that there’s a non zero-chance the machines could one day take over and end humanity, not all computers are bad. Let us join hands and give thanks to the Premier League fixture computer, blinking quietly away in the corner, which, in an extraordinary act of prescience, has given us a gift this weekend. It has ensured that Manchester City’s first game after they were found guilty of virtually all charges related to assorted financial chicanery is against Liverpool. Thank you, fixture computer. …”
NYT/ATH (Video)

YouTube: Liverpool v. Manchester City | PREMIER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | 10/11/2026