Man Utd Fans to Mock Man City’s Guilty Verdict With Creative Taunt

Manchester United supporters will bring back a famous banner mocking Manchester City during this Saturday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

First unveiled in 2000, a banner that read “24 YEARS” was hung on the upper tier of the Stretford End—marking the number of years Man City had gone without winning a trophy since their 1976 League Cup final victory.

With each passing trophyless year for their local rivals, United fans would amend their ticker-style banner. It eventually reached “35 YEARS” before being taken down following City’s FA Cup triumph in 2011.

However, as per The Athletic, a new banner will be unfurled at this weekend’s match in light of the guilty verdict handed out to City for breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between 2009 and 2018.

The fresh creation will read “51 YEARS,” suggesting all the trophies they have won since 2009 are no longer counted.

There have been widespread calls for the Cityzens to be stripped of the titles they won over their nine-year period of financial doping, as well as the trophies won since. From 2009 onward, they have won 23 pieces of domestic silverware alongside three continental and worldwide trophies.

Forcing City to renounce the titles they have won remains a possible sanction for their offenses, but a final punishment—which is subject to City’s appeal—is more likely to involve a massive points deduction instead.

Enzo Maresca Bites Back at Tricky Questions

City boss Enzo Maresca is unlikely to appreciate Old Trafford’s latest banner, especially considering his confidence in his current employers and their innocence.

Like many others of a City persuasion over recent weeks, including his predecessor Pep Guardiola, he was eager to toe the party line when quizzed about the guilty verdict ahead of Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.

“I trust the club because I trust the people and this is also the reason why I joined the club,” said the Italian. “Then there is not another club in the world where I would like to be. I am very happy to be here, I’m very proud. I said many times since day one, these are my thoughts.”

Asked if the titles City had won over the past 17 years were tainted, Maresca added: “Absolutely not. The last time I was here was the treble season. I know the effort from the players, from the club, from the manager at that time, Pep, so I know exactly the effort that the club put to achieve that target, so I don’t have any doubt about that.”

Guardiola was slightly less defiant in his defense of City on social media, but did offer a message of hope to the club’s supporters.

“I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever,” Guardiola wrote on Instagram. “I am, always have been, always will be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran [Soriano], the players, staff, Enzo and you, our unique supporters.

“Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”

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