Jamie Carragher has called for Manchester City to receive a 'three-to-five-year' punishment that is serious enough to force their star players to leave the club.
Last Tuesday, the Premier League confirmed that City had been found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of its financial regulations between 2009/10 and 2017/18. They said that City artificially inflated revenue by more than £900million through 'sham' sponsorship deals.
City, however, have denied any wrongdoing and appealed the decision on Thursday. The club said in a statement they believe they are "innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League" and have "a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" to support their case.
Carragher's punishment plan
But if City's appeal isn't successful, Carragher believes the club should face a long-term punishment and one that is serious enough to ensure the likes of Erling Haaland and Enzo Fernandez depart. The ex-Liverpool centre-back would prefer a three-to-five-year sanction, rather than one that would see them deducted 80 to 100 points in one season, for example.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Overlap's Fan Debate, Carragher said: "People are talking about 80 points or 100 points over one season, that gets you relegated and then you come back again.
"I think a few players would leave but some of them would think they can put up with that for a year. It also builds a sort of connection with the supporters, they’ll be seen in a great light.
"But because this has gone on for so long, I do think the punishment should be over a number of years, three to five years. I think then that players would move on.
"You've then got the financial aspect of how City would be able to afford the wages of those players if they haven't got Premier League money. And you can only spend the money that you bring in. They'll have to abide by it now!"
Owners should step down
Since first breaking silence on City's guilty verdict last Wednesday, Carragher has been consistent in his stance that he believes Sheikh Mansour and the club's owners, Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), should step down.
"I said that straightaway (get rid of the owners)," Carragher said, when responding to a point made about Mansour and the Abu Dhabi United Group. "I didn't know how the owners could continue if they're found guilty of this.
"The problem being - my worry for it is it wouldn't be a case of them losing the appeal and them saying 'OK, we'll get on and take our punishment'.
"Because of where they're from, the power they have and the finances they have, they will never admit they were wrong in this. They will always say 'we were wronged' and 'this is a sham by the Premier League' as such.
"I think they’ll keep dragging it on and it’ll drag the game into the gutter. This needs sorting out, for the game but also for Manchester City and their supporters, so that we can move on from it. I don’t think they’d ever be able to move on from it with those people still in charge."
Appeal arguments
One argument City are said to be using during the appeal is that the extra funding came from the Abu Dhabi government and not the club's owners, something which is allowed under Premier League rules. However, a statement from the main sponsors, Etihad, back in 2015, appears to contradict it.
