Before the hearing into the Premier League's accusations against Manchester City has taken place, the groundwork for potential outcomes is already being prepared.
City made headlines when the charges were announced for paying through the nose for leading lawyer David Pannick KC to represent them.
Some daftly took this to presume their guilt, coming from the same school of non-thought that the club should just 'show their evidence' to prove their innocence.
Even now, the fact that City are being represented by some of the best in the industry is being used to suggest they will beat the charges not by proving their innocence but by spending money.
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