Has a Premier League match ever been more eagerly anticipated? Have Liverpool ever been more popular among rival fans and neutrals, with seemingly everyone willing Andoni Iraola's team to win.
Following a three week international break, during which we've all been starved of football, Manchester City were found "guilty of all charges" by an independent Commission, calling into question their future in the Premier League as well as every season played for the past 16 years.
Frankly, it probably isn't right that they are playing matches, having been found guilty, that cannot be stressed enough, but this is the reality in which we live. The word sham once again comes to mind. Fittingly, the Sky Blues' return to action at Anfield, facing the club they have cheated out of more success than any other.
Given all that has happened, the press room at Joie Stadium was jam-packed full of the nation's leading reporters when Enzo Maresca spoke to the media on Friday morning. The only question he was pleased to answer came from a Norwegian journalist asking about Erling Braut Håland's fitness, and had this to say:
"He's good! He's good! He went to Marbella, two or three days off, played golf, recovery, and ready for Anfield. He's good. "Enzo Maresca on Erling Braut Håland
This comes after the 26 year old suffered something of an injury scare during Norway's UEFA Nations League clash last Sunday. Håland was forced off in the 67th minute of a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Portugal at Estádio do Dragão. Before that, he had played every minute of every international, but it turns out the issue he suffered was nothing major. One could call it a sham, perhaps.
Later on in the news conference, Maresca was asked about how he plans to deal with the off-field aspects of Man City's visit to Anfield, and had this to say:
"It will be a tough game, a tough test. But we need to be ready. The focus has to be about the game, but also the environment in Anfield is nice, probably will be even worse because of the situation. Again, it will be our duty to try and do our best and try and win the game."Enzo Maresca on visiting Anfield
Liverpool fans are planning a not so warm welcome for the Manchester City bus, similar to that of 2018, ahead of the Champions League quarter-final that Jürgen Klopp's team won 3-0 en route to Kyiv. Of course, Anfield is world-renowned for it's atmosphere, both backing their own team as well as being hostile towards the opposition, but this might just be cranked up to new heights on Sunday.
Maresca confidently asserted that he and his players are prepared for what they will face, but we are not so sure, and Iraola's team need to feed off that energy and anger.
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