The Premier League confirmed on Tuesday night that Manchester City had been found guilty of all charges against them concerning the league's financial rules between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons. City, who have always maintained their innocence and plan to appeal the verdict, won three titles in that nine-year period.
Potential Punishments and Title Stripping
Points deductions or even expulsion from the top-flight have been discussed as potential punishments should an appeal fail. Some have called for City to be stripped of the titles they won during those years, which would see Manchester United and Liverpool gain retrospective honours, presuming they are re-awarded.
As of last week, there was said to be little desire from both the Premier League and its clubs for such a scenario to unfold. Nevertheless, Mirror Football has examined United and Liverpool's league campaigns during that period to ascertain just how worthy they would be as champions of England.
Manchester United 2011/12
Manchester United were on the wrong side of the closest Premier League title race in history in 2011/12. Sir Alex Ferguson's side lost the crown on goal difference on the final day of the season, thanks to City's infamous last-gasp 3-2 victory over Queens Park Rangers.
Like City, United had 28 wins, five draws and five losses across 38 games, but scored four less goals and conceded four more goals than their rivals. The campaign witnessed United's historic 8-2 rout of Arsenal before the Red Devils were humbled in their 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford. Roberto Mancini's side completed the double over them after beating United 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium in the third-last game of the season.
Wayne Rooney enjoyed the best goalscoring season of his career, with 27 league goals and was United's sole representative in the PFA Team of the Year. Any club losing out on a title by goal difference, particularly in the seeming Roy of the Rovers like style that befell events at the Etihad and Stadium of Light on that fateful day, would have been worthy champions in most other years. Manchester United champions rank - 9/10.
Liverpool 2013/14
The Reds' Premier League title drought would have been 24 years instead of 30 without the presence of Man City in the 2013/14 campaign. Liverpool, then led by Brendan Rodgers, lodged a shock title charge with Luis Suarez spearheading a devastatingly potent attack that included Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho.
Liverpool had topped the table from Gameweek 32 to 36 amid a stunning 11-match winning run, which included a famous 3-2 victory over City at Anfield in their fifth-last game of the season. The Uruguayan icon had one of the greatest individual seasons in league history, with 31 goals and 11 assists in 33 appearances.
Despite Suarez's heroics, Steven Gerrard's infamous slip in their 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Anfield gave City the advantage in the title race. The Reds' 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace all but decided City's capture of their second title in three years, who finished four points ahead of the Reds. Liverpool would have been worthy champions, but were the makers of their own demise after dropping points in two of the final three games. Liverpool champions rank - 7/10.
Manchester United 2017/18
Man United under Jose Mourinho in the 2017/18 season accumulated 81 points - a total that Leicester City earned when winning the Premier League in 2016. However, United's 19-point gap to City that season, who captured 100 points - and the title of Centurions - remains the biggest differential between first and second in league history.
Romelu Lukaku was United's top scorer in his debut campaign at Old Trafford, scoring 27 goals across all competitions, which was the most he'd scored in his career at the time. It was another step forward in the progression of Marcus Rashford, who enjoyed his crowning moment of the season with a brace in a 2-1 win against Liverpool in March 2018. Despite finishing second, Mourinho's side never really got close to a dominant City under Pep Guardiola, who broke numerous records with their accolades. Manchester United champions rank - 5/10.
