Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League over breaches of its financial regulations. The verdict, first reported by The Athletic on September 25, was delivered by an independent commission following an investigation and legal process spanning several years.
The alleged breaches relate to a period between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, when City won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three League Cups and one Community Shield.
Club response and possible sanctions
A Manchester City spokesperson has insisted that the process remains “ongoing”, with “significant elements” still to be completed. A statement sent to Standard Sport on Friday reads: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.
“As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.
“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
A decision on potential sanctions has yet to be reached, with a wide range of punishments said to be on the table, from substantial fines to points deductions or even possibly expulsion from the Premier League or the retrospective stripping of titles.
Arsenal and Liverpool
If City were retrospectively stripped of the eight trophies won during that period, Arsenal would not be awarded a single retrospective Premier League title, as the seasons in which they finished runners-up to City have not been under investigation. The Gunners would, however, get a League Cup after being beaten 3-0 by City in the 2017-18 final at Wembley.
Jurgen Klopp’s comments about having a parade in his garden to celebrate a retrospective Liverpool Premier League title resurfaced on Friday, though the season in question is 2013-14 when Brendan Rodgers was in charge of the Reds. The German, however, would be able to celebrate a League Cup after losing the 2015-16 final on penalties to a City side then managed by Manuel Pellegrini.
Manchester United the biggest beneficiaries
Manchester United would be the biggest beneficiaries. They were twice runners-up to City in the Premier League during the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, meaning two more league titles would be on their way to Old Trafford. Former United defender Rio Ferdinand has been vocal about this on X, formerly Twitter, even pushing a case for Jose Mourinho, who has always spoken highly of that second-placed finish in 2017-18.
