Manchester City will feel Enzo Maresca handled a difficult press conference well. He looked and sounded confident, trotted out the familiar lines, echoed the club stance that City would win the appeal, talked of his trust in his employers, trophies not tainted etc. The obviously planned tone was of defiance without arrogance. Maresca didn’t bridle at the (totally justified) repeated line of questioning. City’s chief comms officer Simon Heggie sensibly didn’t seek to restrict questions on the subject (which would have turned the conference adversarial). That also reflected the club’s trust in Maresca to handle the situation. Maresca spoke of his commitment to City, no place he’d rather be, players focused, etc. But, really, what else can he say? Maresca is fronting up for the club, facing the music for owners who, according to an independent commission after a forensic, lengthy investigation, cheated the sport again and again. It’s not really Maresca who has questions to answer. From an external perspective, Maresca smiling at times didn’t reflect the seriousness of the situation engulfing City and the Premier League. It might have been designed to reflect the club’s composure in the line of ire but it’s certainly not business as usual, whatever the mood music emanating from City’s owners and whatever Maresca claims. It’s not business as usual – a press conference called to preview City’s trip to Liverpool was always going to be about the independent commission’s damning verdict on the club. It’s not going to be business as usual in future press conferences either. Fewer but still some questions will rightly be asked about a club being found guilty of cheating. Fans want answers. The business, the sport, the industry and the whole season are on hold. The Premier League season now has dark clouds and a large asterisk running through it, scarring it, paralysing it, until City’s appeal is heard, the verdict disclosed and sanctions announced. Nobody knows whether City remain in contention for the title or for relegation. It’s the biggest crisis facing the Premier League in its 34 years, bigger than the brief threat of the European Super League seen off by fans. It’s not only about this season but beyond if City’s appeal fails and they venture into the courts. Maresca may have been business-like but it’s certainly not business as usual. Not when there are questions over the integrity of the national game.