Image source, Getty ImagesBBC Radio Manchester's Mike Minay has provided an explainer as the hearing into City's 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules began on Monday.
Hear from football finance expert Kieran Maguire, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters, manager Pep Guardiola and lawyer and former City financial advisor Stefan Borson on 'The sport trial of the century'.
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City defender Manuel Akanji has said the current fixture schedule is "so tough" to deal with and that the club's players could be lucky to have two weeks holiday at the end of the season.
The Swiss defender has played every minute in the Premier League this season for City and the 29-year-old even referred to retiring at 30 due to the fact "there's no end" to the overload of games.
"It's so tough," Akanji said.
"You don't just think about this season - but also next season. Let's say we win the league or cup, then go to the final of the Club World Cup, the Community Shield is three weeks after - so when do we do holidays?
"There are no breaks in winter, if we are lucky we get two weeks and then we need to be back and into next season.
"Next summer it's the World Cup and then is there another Club World Cup the following summer? I don't even know if it's every two or four years but there's no end to it. I don't know how it works out."
He joked: "Maybe I'll retire at 30!"
Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician
Some might think Erling Haaland is just always a great finisher, so his start to the season isn’t really that surprising…but he wasn’t last season.
Haaland was a below-average finisher in the Premier League last season, scoring 27 goals from xG of 29.3.
Given the incredible chances he had, an average player would’ve historically scored 2-3 more goals than he did.
Of course, Haaland’s pace, strength and movement helps get him those incredible chances – an average player wouldn’t get them.
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Manchester City and Brentford.
Here are some of your comments:
Man City fans
Mark: City looked half asleep in the first half. Subs at half-time - and no doubt a strong talking to by Pep - made an enormous difference and City were on top then. Haaland is a phenomenon.
Neil: Fair play to Brentford - got tactics spot on and could have been 4-0 up before we scored! They had us on the back foot, found MASSIVE gaps in our midfield and played through us very well. City just weren't at the races. Lucky to get two goals from Haaland and the game completely changed when Rodri came on second half. Business as usual - but lucky.
Mike: Brentford were terrific first half and caught us cold at the start. I felt Walker gave their winger too much space to attack the ball for the cross. They then had another couple of great chances which were missed. Once City started to control the ball, we became dominant - although I was still fearful they would catch us on the break.
Brentford fans
Danny: Great first half, sat a bit to deep in the second half.
Derek: Great team with a great manager. Always a handful in the Premier League. Not got the resources of other clubs - a great compliment to the management team.
Russell: Well done to all the players for keeping score as low as they did!
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy spoke on Match of the Day about Ederson's performance in Manchester City's victory over Brentford:
"We eulogise about [Erling] Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne and all of their wonderful players, but I think they've got the best footballing goalkeeper in the world.
"His decision making on when to go long and when to play short was perfect. Brentford pressed brilliantly - really high and man-to-man, and won the ball back a few times. Ederson realised quite quickly to stop playing it short and started firing the ball to Haaland.
"He's in charge of it [beating the press] so often. Because we've become so used to seeing it, we take it for granted.
"This is supposed to be the team that a lot of people say they get bored of watching, but they are as good as anyone at varying their game and I think Ederson deserves credit."
Gary Linker brings you highlights and analysis from Saturday's eight Premier League fixtures.
If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.
Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesErling Haaland showed immense mental strength to set aside his grief at the death of a close family friend this week to score both goals for Manchester City in their victory against Brentford.
The contribution takes Haaland onto 99 City goals. Few would argue against him reaching his century against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Even at a club where Sergio Aguero seemed to score every week, Haaland is taking the art to another level.
There was almost disappointment at his failure to score a third successive hat-trick - even though it had not been done by anyone in England's top flight since 1946.
If Haaland carries on, he will eclipse Aguero's club record of 260 within three seasons.
He has nine Premier League goals already. The next on the list has three.
Might as well give him the Golden Boot again now.
Image source, Getty ImagesErling Haaland has scored nine goals across Manchester City’s first four league games this season – the most of any player in the opening four matches of a Premier League campaign (overtaking Wayne Rooney in 2011-12 - eight in first four).
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City boss Pep Guardiola after victory over Brentford: "I am a big fan of Thomas Frank. I don't remember in eight or nine years have a team playing the way they played. We were lucky with the deflection because they deserved 1-0.
"We struggled a lot to read when to shoot and press. We were lucky to find the goals but in the second half we were better and probably deserved to score more goals.
"We needed that to feel how difficicult everything is, how difficult the Premier League is every game.
"People say City so strong but the Premier League is so difficult. Today was the real proof.
"I am a big fan of Brentford. They play long balls but they have ability to play as well. I give a lot of credit to my players, from where we come from in the past but to still be able to suffer. I prefer to win that way than four or five nil. We need that."
On Haaland: "Erling in the space is so difficult to control. It was a tough week for him but yesterday it was a bit better, we tried to help him."
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Have your say on Manchester City’s performance, external
What did you make of Brentford’s display?, external
Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies
There are eight Premier League games on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you all the action and reaction throughout the day.
All time are BST
BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries:
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.
For week four, he takes on Femi Koleoso and Ife Ogunjobi from jazz band Ezra Collective, the 2023 Mercury Music Prize winners.
Sutton's prediction: 3-1
Brentford have been a bogey team for Manchester City in the past and Bees boss Thomas Frank knows how to beat them, that's for sure - he did the double over them in 2022-23.
That is not going to happen this time, though. I refuse to put Erling Haaland in my fantasy team on principle, because the whole nation has picked him, but he is just unstoppable at the moment and City should win this one comfortably.
City don't usually hit their stride so early in a season. If this is them just warming up, then god help the rest of the Premier League.
Koleoso's prediction: 3-1
I know Brentford won here a couple of years ago but that was when they had Ivan Toney up front. I really hope I am wrong, obviously, but City will win.
Ogunjobi prediction: 3-0
No Toney, and Haaland is an absolute monster for City.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesDuring the international break, the English Football League confirmed Manchester City's Carabao Cup third-round tie against Watford would take place on Tuesday, 24 September - just two days after Pep Guardiola’s side take on likely title rivals Arsenal in the Premier League.
Greater Manchester Police ruled out the possibility of the game being played on the Wednesday as that would clash with Manchester United opening their Europa League campaign against FC Twente at Old Trafford.
Guardiola revealed City had been offered three options: play the game on Tuesday; concede home advantage and switch the match to Watford on Wednesday; or play the game on Thursday, which was also impractical as his side have a lunchtime game at Newcastle United on the Saturday.
It follows on from the draw itself being seeded to prevent Champions League and Europa League-qualified clubs being paired together as there would not have been a spare midweek date to play the tie.
With all three European club competitions expanding, as well as City potentially facing a later start to the Premier League next season as they compete in the new Club World Cup that does not end until mid-July, Guardiola can only see the problem getting worse.
"We prioritised our preparation for Newcastle of course, but it is going to get worse," said the City boss.
"It is going to happen many times for teams that play in all the competitions."
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City boss Pep Guardiola confirmed Nathan Ake "is injured" and is not likely to return before the next international break in October.
The Netherlands defender, who looks set to miss seven games in all competitions, was carried off injured on a stretcher against Germany on Tuesday.
"We were unlucky with Nathan," said Guardiola. "Every time he goes there he comes back injured!"
In more positive news, the Spaniard confirmed Rodri and Phil Foden have been in training and are "really good" ahead of Saturday's game against Brentford.
Rodri is yet to play this season after suffering a hamstring injury in the Euro 2024 final and Foden was missing from two of the three opening games due to illness.
Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesManchester City manager Pep Guardiola
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he is glad the club's legal battle with the Premier League will begin on Monday.
Instead of the 115 charges initially outlined by the Premier League, it turns out City are facing 130.
Guardiola says he knows what many people think - that City are banged to rights and are facing a huge punishment - but he prefers to wait for the outcome, which probably won't be determined until the first half of next year.
The City boss has been assured by the people running the club, specifically chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano, the club have done nothing wrong. He is confident they will be exonerated.
If that scenario becomes the reality, there will be a very bright spotlight on the Premier League.
