Ian Wright has argued that reports of Manchester City being found guilty of alleged financial breaches affect Jurgen Klopp's legacy at Liverpool. News broke on Friday that City had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League for financial breaches.
The allegations relate to a period between 2009 and 2018, though City maintain their innocence and are expected to lodge an appeal against the verdict.
Liverpool and City often went head-to-head in Premier League title races during Klopp's tenure as manager at Anfield, finishing second in the 2018/19 and 2021/22 campaigns, despite getting more than 90 points in each season.
Wright's verdict on City's charges
Wright was reacting to comments made by former Man City midfielder Rodri, who won four titles during his time at the Etihad Stadium, and why the alleged guilty verdict would impact the legacy from Klopp's time at Liverpool.
"Rodri talking about what he's done and went shoulder to shoulder with the guys, and of course, you can't take that away from them, they experienced that," Wright told ITV Sport.
"But they should take it away from them, they should be punished for it. They may have been able to experience those memories and all of those great times together, but when you look at the teams who were trying to chase them and were doing it right, it's not right."
Impact on Liverpool's legacy
"What have we taken from Liverpool's legacy, [Jurgen] Klopp and that team. What could they have experienced?" Wright added.
"They [City] cheated to get it done and people have missed out on that. Players have missed out on unbelievable opportunities for themselves, so I'm glad that we've finally got there."
City chairman's response
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak wrote an open letter on Saturday where he expressed his confidence in the club's innocence, despite reports of a guilty verdict from a day earlier.
"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."
He added: "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.
"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."
