Liverpool’s clash with Man City is a ghost game that may as well be played in a circus tent: Grudge match starts slow period of torture for the top flight after guilty verdict – and Anfield’s anger is real, writes OLIVER HOLT

Oliver Holt writes that Liverpool's match against Manchester City has been reduced to a ghost game following City's guilty verdict on 114 financial charges. Holt argues that with potential punishments including expulsion or major point deductions looming while an appeal proceeds, the results on the pitch currently lack permanence and question the Premier League's credibility.

Holt highlights the intense hostility awaiting City at Anfield, where Liverpool supporters harbor deep resentment over past titles lost to the Manchester club. While acknowledging that baiting and a tense reception are inevitable, the columnist stresses that the critical priority must be keeping City players, staff, and traveling supporters safe from violence.