Gary Neville requests Sky Sports break from Manchester City games amidst ongoing financial breaches appeal

Neville's request to step down from duties

After watching Man City secure a 3-0 victory against Liverpool , Neville made a surprising admission on Sky Sports. The pundit revealed the legal situation surrounding the champions has heavily impacted his broadcasting experience. City have appealed after an independent panel found them guilty of 114 charges.

Speaking candidly about his role, Neville said: "We were just doing the podcast then and said if you could take me off Manchester City games moving forward for the next few months until the verdicts have been heard, I would be absolutely delighted."

Praising the players amidst the controversy

Neville praised £116 million midfielder Elliot Anderson following the impressive victory at Anfield, but he found it difficult to focus solely on football. Explaining his conflicted stance regarding the reigning champions, Neville said: "At the end of the game it is quite hard because you are imagining basically if these guilty verdicts are confirmed in January or February then Manchester City are not going to be in the position they are in and there is going to be a huge cloud hanging over the whole league, which is not good for the Premier League right now and that is what I have just recognised today."

Defending the squad and coaching staff

Both Neville and Jamie Carragher were quick to emphasize that the squad and management should not bear the brunt of the anger directed at the hierarchy. While the appeals procedure is well underway, the players remain entirely innocent of the historical financial allegations. Sympathising with the squad, Neville said: "That's the problem for the Man City staff, players and supporters, they are blameless in all of this. The stain, stigma, reputational damage that hits them, it's nothing to do with them but they have to face it on the pitch, in the stadium, week after week."

What next for Man City?

City face a long wait as the complex appeals procedure and sanctions hearing continue. Enzo Maresca will need to keep his squad focused entirely on defending their Premier League title on the pitch, while the club await a definitive legal resolution expected sometime early next year.