New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently took a playful jab at Manchester City, suggesting the Premier League champions should not even be in the league due to their ongoing financial controversies. This light-hearted remark occurred during a press conference on Wednesday, where Mamdani engaged in banter with a journalist who supports Liverpool.

Following Liverpool's 3-0 defeat against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, Mamdani seized the opportunity to tease the reporter. He asked, “How’s it going? How are you as a Liverpool fan right now?” before adding with a grin, “You got beat by a team that shouldn’t be in the league, but anyway…”

This joke was underscored by a recent independent commission's ruling that found Manchester City guilty of 114 financial breaches related to historical revenue reporting. Mamdani even referenced this ruling in a viral post where he simply tweeted the number “114.”

Despite the humor, the situation surrounding Manchester City is serious. Following the verdict, City officials filed a formal appeal, asserting their innocence while the legal proceedings unfold. The final outcome remains uncertain, with potential sanctions including significant points deductions or even relegation from the Premier League being widely speculated, though no official punishment has been confirmed.

The atmosphere at Anfield during the match reflected this tension, with Liverpool fans chanting “Cheats” and “Going down” as Manchester City celebrated their victory. Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku, and Rayan Cherki scored for City after Ryan Gravenberch was sent off, solidifying their dominance despite the controversy.