As Manchester City face a landmark verdict on their 115 charges, the potential fallout could dramatically impact Liverpool and rewrite the Reds' honours list.
Manchester City's Charges
Manchester City have been the most dominant team in English football since 2012, when they won their first Premier League trophy. Since then, primarily under the management of Pep Guardiola, the Cityzens have won seven more top-flight titles. This included one as part of their historic 2023 treble.
That same year, the Premier League launched an independent investigation into 130 alleged breaches of its Financial Fair Play rules by Manchester City over a period of nine years, from 2009 to 2018. This followed UEFA's own investigation in 2020, with the resulting sanctions levied by the European governing body ultimately overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Today, the outcome of the Premier League's independent investigation has finally been revealed.
Reuters/Phil NobleDavid Ornstein Latest
David Ornstein has exclusively revealed that the Premier League has found Manchester City guilty of 114 charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. The resulting sanctions have not yet been decided, with all possibilities left on the table. Manchester City are expected to appeal.
During the period of the alleged breaches, City won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and one Community Shield.
Possible Sanctions
The sanctions outlined in the Premier League's handbook range from a reprimand or fine to points deductions and even expulsion from the league. A points deduction, Ornstein says, could be applied retrospectively, which raises the prospect of Manchester City being stripped of titles.
City's 2013/14 title, won after a hotly contested title race famously involving Liverpool, falls under the period of alleged breaches.
Steven Gerrard to Be Made a Premier League Champion?
If Manchester City were to be stripped of the 2013/14 Premier League title, Steven Gerrard and the rest of Brendan Rodgers' team could be made champions thanks to their second-place finish.
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| 1. Manchester City | 86 |
| 2. Liverpool | 84 |
| 3. Chelsea | 82 |
| 4. Arsenal | 79 |
If City's titles outside the period of breaches were to be re-awarded, Liverpool could be given two more Premier League trophies. Jurgen Klopp's Reds finished second to City on two separate occasions.
Speaking after leaving Liverpool about the prospect of being retroactively awarded titles, Klopp quipped:
"If you organise a bus parade, I'm in! How long it takes, I don't care!"
However, according to The Times, the possibility of stripping Premier League titles from City would be limited to the period during which rules were breached, and the prospect is thought to be unlikely regardless.
Author's Verdict: Sanctions No Time Soon
It has already taken three years to decide whether Manchester City were guilty of the charges they faced. Now the decision has finally been made; City will most certainly appeal - which is their right. It is unlikely we will see them face any potential punishments in short order.
Meanwhile, the nature of their possible punishment is unknown. Serie A's Calciopoli scandal, when Juventus saw themselves stripped of their 2005 and 2006 Scudetto wins and relegated to Serie B for the start of the 2006/7 season, does set a historical precedent for wide-ranging sanctions of the highest order, but, ultimately, City's charges are of an entirely different nature - so the relevance of this precedent is up for debate.
Furthermore, it should be noted that Juventus's stripped titles were not re-awarded.
The whole of the footballing world will be watching the next developments closely.
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