Why the shameless derby is a lose-lose clash for neutrals

Manchester City have made themselves hard to like amid allegations of financial wrongdoing, writes Peter Hall, but Nottingham Forest have taken negative PR to another level

- Peter Hall

To a lesser extent, when Nottingham Forest and Manchester City take to the field today, it must be what boxing traditionalists feel whenever Logan Paul and KSI step into a ring to headline a pay-per-view event.

While they have not been prosecuted for anything yet, many supporters of other clubs have washed their hands of City over their alleged 115 Financial Fair Play charges, whether they are guilty or not. No smoke without fire, after a four-year Premier League investigation, the naysayers suggest, fuelled by the fact City don’t seem in any hurry to prove their innocence – something they insist can be easily done.

As a result, the champions go into most matches against teams who previously would have been impervious to the second-biggest team in Manchester as the instant villains of the piece. Except this weekend, when they take part in the shameless derby, facing a club doing their utmost to irk football’s traditionalists already in despair at the state of the modern game.

While there remains doubt over City’s guilt, there is no escaping for Forest fans, after their club brought shame of their good name this week with their remarkable chutzpah.