Manchester City fans made their feelings toward the Premier League clear as the first week of their hearing into allegations of financial wrongdoing comes to an end. Audibly booing the league's anthem before the clash with Arsenal, it wasn't the only time City supporters have acted in such a way.
Pep Guardiola's side could be heavily punished by the league if they are found guilty of breaching numerous financial regulations, which they have strongly denied. The trial expected to go on for a number of weeks.
In the week following the league's initial charging of City, the club's fanbase made a similar gesture. On that occasion it was for a match against Aston Villa.
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This time it was Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side visiting the Etihad Stadium. The Gunners have been one of the teams who have felt the full force of City's success most in recent years.
Arsenal could stand to benefit should the current champions be sanctioned, having finished as runners up in the past two seasons. It is understood that among the possible punishments for City is relegation, points deducitons, and having titles stripped.
After 18 months of purgatory and non-updates, a tangible move towards an outcome of City's case finally emerged last week. On Monday, September 9, lawyers gathered at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London.
Guardiola has embraced the noise around the club though. "I would say, I'm sorry to people but I want to defend my club especially in these modern days," he said on Friday ahead of the game. "Everyone expects us not just to be relegated but disappear off the face of the earth.
"I'd say we have better afternoon than the opponents. That's why we win a lot." Guardiola has openly admitted that he believes City's rivals are keen to see them punished in the face of the alleged breaches.
