Manchester City have been thrown into turmoil by the publication of a 40-page decision from an independent panel that found the club overwhelmingly guilty in the 115 case. The verdict has delighted rivals so much that nobody is pretending to be angry about the Elliot Anderson handball shout against Sunderland last month, as the consequences of the expert decision are expected to be catastrophic.
City are appealing and insist they have irrefutable evidence, but their chances of success cannot be too high given that evidence has already been categorically refuted. In the months it takes for the appeal to be heard, City's guilt will be discussed on a daily basis.
Rivals speculate on punishments
Premier League club executives are discussing, under the cover of anonymity, what punishments they would want to see City face, with points deductions being widely speculated on. Enzo Maresca and his players must shut out that noise and concentrate on trying to win two football matches a week, starting at Anfield on Sunday.
While City's players try to keep calm and carry on, their rivals are also ploughing ahead. Premier League champions Arsenal have been publicly silent on the guilty verdicts while the process is ongoing, but on Wednesday they announced a new contract for Mikel Arteta.
Arteta signs until 2030
Already the longest serving manager in the division by some distance following the departures of Jurgen Klopp and then Pep Guardiola, the former City assistant is now signed up at the Emirates until 2030. In a statement announcing the news, CEO Richard Garlick said: “We want to create a winning era together with Mikel... Mikel has the belief, determination and the understanding of what it takes to build something remarkable and enduring here, and we are excited to continue that journey together.”
As City's golden era is tainted, the last thing they want to hear about is the start of another one in North London. Despite a 3-0 defeat for the title favourites at Brighton before the international break, Arsenal remain the team to beat for City and any of the chasing pack, with the stability at the club giving them a critical advantage.
City must keep pace
The punishments handed out, or not, to City at the end of the appeal process will determine how far the gap to the very top is. In the meantime, they have to keep making progress under Maresca to stay as competitive as they want to be. As difficult as it might seem with so many pitchforks out for City, Arsenal's commitment to Arteta is a reminder that there are more than just guilty verdicts for City to be concerned about.
