Liverpool handed potential new boost for Man City clash after Nico O'Reilly, Marc Guehi mistakes - "You'd be worried"

Manchester City players volition inevitably beryllium affected by the sound astir the nine erstwhile they measurement ft onto the tract against Liverpool connected Sunday, Glen Johnson has exclusively told Sports Mole.

The Citizens' archetypal crippled backmost since the nine were recovered blameworthy of breaching Premier League fiscal rules is 1 of the toughest tests English shot tin propulsion up - a daunting distant time astatine Anfield.

Shortly aft Man City's blameworthy verdict - which the nine are appealing - was announced, Sky Blues duo Nico O'Reilly and Marc Guehi made fatal mistakes successful England's 3-2 decision to Spain successful the UEFA Nations League, Guehi losing possession to Lamine Yamal earlier O'Reilly cheaply gave the shot distant successful the antiaircraft third.

Thomas Tuchel rejected the conception that the pair's blunders were a effect of apprehension implicit the verdict, albeit portion admitting that the charges were a large taxable of discussion, and Enzo Maresca has besides insisted that helium is not disquieted astir immoderate imaginable on-field impacts.

However, erstwhile Liverpool right-back Johnson believes that Man City players volition beryllium acrophobic astir immoderate imaginable punishments, perchance handing the Reds a intelligence boost for Sunday's main event.

How Man City blameworthy verdict volition interaction players against Liverpool

"They mightiness beryllium much conscious of what’s going to hap alternatively than what went connected due to the fact that not galore of these were astatine the nine erstwhile this happened," Johnson said. "So I don’t deliberation it affects them connected the transportation similar that, but decidedly successful the background, you’d beryllium disquieted astir what’s going to hap to the club.

"People are talking astir constituent deductions oregon relegations, past that volition impact the players. But they excessively are successful the acheronian until we cognize what punishments are going to look like."

City went into the planetary interruption with an unblemished grounds of 5 wins from their opening 5 top-flight matches of the season, a cleanable tally that saw them walk the hiatus astatine the apical of the Premier League table.

Maresca's men volition besides caput to Anfield inactive clinging onto archetypal spot implicit Arsenal connected extremity quality pursuing the Gunners' 2-1 triumph implicit Leeds United, and nether Pep Guardiola, Man City conquered Liverpool 3 times past season.

During the Sky Blues' play of alleged offending betwixt 2009 and 2018, Johnson was a cardinal constituent of the 2013-14 Liverpool squad that agonisingly finished 2nd to Man City, and the erstwhile defender has besides revealed however helium would consciousness astir being awarded a posthumous medal 13 years later.

Glen Johnson reveals existent feelings connected posthumous Liverpool Premier League medal

"If the FA said to maine they’re sending maine the medal, of people I’ll instrumentality it, but I wouldn’t beryllium jumping astir the country celebrating similar I’ve won the league, adjacent though we deserved it that season," Johnson added.

"After grooming truly hard for 300 days and winning 40-odd games a season, that’s erstwhile we privation to assistance the trophy. Not 13 years later.

"If the medal’s coming, past great, I’ll unfastened the doorway for it. But, you know, I’m not going to commencement walking astir municipality wearing it astir my neck. It’s a spot precocious for the autobus tour."

Man City person lodged an entreaty against the blameworthy verdict, and the process indispensable beryllium completed wrong 12 weeks, but it is not wide however agelong it would instrumentality to determine immoderate imaginable punishments if the entreaty fails.

However, Maresca was particularly defiant successful his pre-game property conference, stating that it would beryllium a substance of "when" not "if" Man City triumph the appeal.

Glen Johnson was speaking to Sports Mole connected behalf of Live Football Tickets.