• Rivals lining up to position as potential replacements

• Afcon tournament expected to return to biennial cycle

Patrice Motsepe’s leadership of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) is under growing pressure, with officials from across the continent warning they have lost trust in the president and rivals including Samuel Eto’o positioning themselves potentially to replace him.

A return to a biennial Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) cycle is expected to be confirmed at Caf’s executive committee meeting in Abidjan next month after Motsepe surprisingly announced the U-turn last week – 10 months after the decision was taken to hold it every four years. That move is said to have wide support within Africa, but several sources have said there has been a weakening of trust in Caf’s leadership, with some questioning Motsepe’s management.

• Kogan says he has faced ‘absolutely no political pressure’

• Regulator wants deal on redistribution through leagues

The chair of the Independent ­Football Regulator (IFR), David Kogan, has said he will resign if he faces any political pressure on how to respond to Manchester City being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules over a nine-year period, insisting “my independence is absolute”.

Kogan could remove City’s Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) should the damning verdict of an independent commission be upheld at the end of an ongoing appeal process. ­Concern had been raised, however, that the proximity of City’s ­ownership to Abu Dhabi’s rulers could trigger a political intervention by the UK ­government and an immediate test of the new regulator’s powers.

• Manager claims City fans suffering more than players

• Luis Enrique says club should keep all titles won

Enzo Maresca has admitted he would describe Manchester City as “cheats” if he were a Manchester United or Arsenal fan. The manager’s ­comments came as he suggested it had been harder for City’s supporters to deal with the scandal surrounding the club than it had been for him or the players.

Maresca guided City to an ­impressive 3-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday in their first game since the club were found guilty of more than 100 charges related to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. He was asked whether the performance was down to the team being brought closer together by the guilty verdict.

Gulf-owned clubs have faced Uefa scrutiny – their different approaches since have left one at the top table and one raging against the machine

Nasser al-Khelaifi was among those unhappy with the timing of the release of Manchester City’s guilty verdict by the Premier League a fortnight ago, although his visit with Paris Saint-Germain to the Etihad Stadium for a Champions League game on Wednesday provides a timely reminder that it could have been far worse.

The two clubs are linked by more than their ownership by Gulf states, being among the first found to have broken Uefa’s financial fair play rules in 2014, and by a magnitude that would make subsequent offenders pale in comparison.