Jamie Carragher has said Manchester City should be stripped of the titles they won during the years they were found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules, and that the club's owners should be removed as their position is untenable.
The Premier League announced on Tuesday that an independent commission had found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of financial rules. Between 2009 and 2018, during which City won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups, the club 'relied on sham agreements to artificially inflate the club's revenues and reduce its costs'.
Carragher's verdict on titles and medals
The Premier League stated that Manchester City's sanction 'will be addressed separately in a further hearing', but the club maintain their innocence and intend to appeal the verdict. Carragher, a Liverpool legend and former England defender, believes City should be stripped of their titles but does not think they should be retrospectively awarded to other clubs, even though Liverpool would benefit.
'I do think Manchester City's titles they've won in this time, or trophies, should be taken off their list,' Carragher said on Sky Sports. 'Whether other clubs should get them is slightly different. But what Man City have done is, they've not just hurt their own players in terms of no one looks at their trophies and medals now in the same way…'
He added: 'I've been very lucky to win a few medals. I never look at the medal years later. But my mind goes back to a moment, I get a feeling in my stomach. I remember the referee blowing a final whistle of a big game. Those players will never get that feeling and it was robbed by Manchester City. That's what they haven't got. I don't think any player will care if you go and give them a medal, and he puts it in the house, in his trophy room, he'll never look at it. It's not about medals, it's about feelings, and that's what Manchester City have robbed.'
Focus on the owners
Explaining why the biggest scrutiny should be on the bosses at the Etihad Stadium, Carragher added: 'The club are going to get punished. You've got supporters, players, the club and owners. For me this is all about the owners, the people who are at the top of the club.'
'Man City are a wonderful club and have been for a hundred years and will be for hundreds of years going forward. But in terms of what we're finding out now, I don't know how the owners can continue in English football. We talk about a fit and proper test for owners. What they've done for 10 years – and left this stain that will be there for the next 10 years – it starts because they don't like the word no.'
'When you see the statements – the one from [CEO Ferran] Soriano last night – it's beggars belief what you're hearing. They have so much power and finance behind them, nobody ever tells them no. Until they move away from the club, I don't know how this stain is removed from the club.'
'City will move on – they will have great teams in the future. But I don't see how the ownership can continue after what's happened here and their reaction to it. How can they be surprised? They've got irrefutable evidence – well where is it? Put it out there.'
Carragher's former club Liverpool are Manchester City's first opponents since the guilty verdict, with Enzo Maresca's side travelling to Anfield on October 11. Man City are currently top of the Premier League having amassed a perfect 15 points from their opening five games of the 2026-27 campaign.
