'We're going to win the appeal': Maresca insists mood is good at Man City ahead of Liverpool trip

Enzo Maresca has delivered his most confident public comments yet on Manchester City's financial charges, insisting "we're going to win the appeal" as his side prepare for one of the biggest games of the season at Anfield on Sunday.

The City head coach sat down with Sky Sports ahead of the trip to Liverpool, his first extended interview since an independent commission found the club guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules over nine seasons.

What has Maresca said about the charges?

Maresca was asked how he has coped with the fallout. His answer was measured but firm.

"I always try to start from an honest point of view, in terms of I will tell you what I can tell you. From there I start the conversation," he said. "Before the international break we played seven games, seven wins. We used the international break to see how we can improve things. But at the same time we have noise around the club, around the team.

"There's a process, there's an appeal ongoing. We need to wait, for sure. The reason why in general I joined this club is because I completely trust the club, the people inside the club. No more than that."

Asked whether the verdict came as a shock, Maresca drew on his experience as a coach during City's treble-winning season under Pep Guardiola. "In the treble season, when I was here, something similar happened in terms of charges and these kind of things," he said. "But you need also to manage yourself, in a nice moment, in a storm. It's part of our life, our job and no problem at all."

How are the players handling it?

Maresca said the club had addressed the squad directly but kept it brief. "The only moment we had is the club just explained the situation to everyone and no more than that," he said.

"Then the players, they are 20, 25 years old, they just want to enjoy. So they come here for session, we try to prepare in our best way the Anfield game and try to win the game."

On the mood in the camp, Maresca was blunt. "The mood is good. Probably you would like to listen to different words but the mood is good. The players are good, they are happy, they are excited. In this moment we also have to enjoy that we're top of the league. It's a good mood."

He acknowledged that Anfield would be hostile. "Anfield is already a nice environment, every game," he said. "For sure the environment will be more hot, I will say. But it's a football game."

What has Haaland said about Guardiola?

Erling Haaland spoke separately to Sky Sports and was more candid about the transition from Guardiola to Maresca.

"It is different," Haaland said. "When the manager has been at a club for 10 years there is going to be big change. But it's nice, even though we miss Pep, we miss Pep's leadership and presence as well, that everyone in the world can feel.

"But Enzo has come in, he has his own ideas, but we're still City. We want to keep the ball, play good football, so it's still the same even though there are differences."

Haaland also looked ahead to the rivalry with Liverpool. "I used to watch the games back in Salzburg and Dortmund, how much those managers pushed each other. It's always special games. Every game against Liverpool is always special."

City travel to Anfield top of the Premier League with seven wins from seven, looking to maintain their perfect start to the season while the appeal against the guilty verdict continues in the background.