talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham has criticised the Premier League over what he called the "ugly" drama surrounding the charges brought against Manchester City. Reports on Friday claimed City had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges presented by the English top flight against the club.
City have maintained their innocence and are expected to appeal the reported verdict. The potential consequences of a guilty verdict being confirmed after appeal remain unknown, with points deductions, expulsion from the Premier League and past titles being stripped from City all mentioned as possibilities.
Durham's reaction to the reported verdict
Durham reacted to the reported verdict on talkSPORT and explained why he thinks the saga reflects badly on the Premier League.
"It's been pretty ugly really, and I'm actually really gutted by it," Durham said on talkSPORT. "It will be the same again, the Premier League, but it feels right now like it'll never be the same again. This is huge."
"The rules that were put in place are anti-competitive. I don't particularly like those rules, but they're there, and they have been broken. And if the appeal fails, there will be a punishment."
He added: "I think it's really sad, but I also think it reflects so badly on the Premier League. There needs to have a long, hard, cold stare at itself in the mirror at how badly the Premier League has handled all of this. After all these years, for this verdict to happen, I think the Premier League has got it so badly wrong, and now we're going to have to rewrite history."
Chairman's open letter
In an open letter published on Saturday, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak outlined his confidence in the club's innocence.
"I have been part of this Club for 18 years. I have had the privilege to stand with you in the Etihad, at Wembley, and in Istanbul," he said. "This Club matters to me, and you have shown and told me – time and time again - how much Manchester City matters to you. This is why I am writing to you today."
"Following Friday's media reporting, many of you will have spent your evening answering questions and responding to messages from friends, family and colleagues. So have I. Here's what I said to my family: The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club's innocence is just as strong as when this began."
"There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position. But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it means I cannot do that at the moment. Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure it complies."
"I ask you to please carefully read the statement below, which we gave on Friday, and the statement we issued in February 2023. Every word matters and holds true."
He added: "While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed. We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our Club. We will not give them that opportunity."
"We have some exciting moments to look forward to after this international break. We travel to Anfield in a fortnight, and then host Paris St Germain in the Champions League back at Etihad Stadium - moments that give us an opportunity to celebrate the strength of the Manchester City family. Thank you, as always, for your constant support."
