Man City titles 'absolutely not' tainted - Maresca

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has stated that the club's titles are 'absolutely not' tainted after being found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.

According to a news conference on Friday, Maresca reiterated his faith in the club's owners and belief that they will win their appeal against the verdict.

The Italian manager rejected the suggestion that City's titles have been tainted by the ruling, stating that he knows 'exactly the effort that the club put in to achieve' them.

An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

The club have appealed against the verdict and claimed in a statement that the commission's ruling contained 'clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe'.

Maresca stated that he has no doubt about the club's owners and that the players are focused on the football side, rather than the 'noise' surrounding the club.

Appointed as Pep Guardiola's successor in June, Maresca is in his third spell at the club following time spent with the academy and as Guardiola's assistant coach.

The 46-year-old has won each of his first five Premier League games in charge of City, and could become the fourth manager to win his first six of a spell in charge of a club in the competition at Liverpool on Sunday.

The announcement of the verdict reached by an independent panel, which found City guilty of 'sham' contracts and misleading accounts as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m, means Maresca's side will expect to receive an even more hostile reception than usual at Anfield.

Maresca stated that he is aware of the environment at Anfield and that his side needs to be ready for the game.