'Not Fair...': Sunderland Boss Regis Le Bris Blasts Man City After Guilty Verdict

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has issued an outspoken and damning verdict on Premier League rivals Manchester City after the Etihad outfit were found guilty on 114 of 115 financial charges.

During the international break, an independent regulatory commission found Man City guilty of all charges related to the Premier League's financial rules over nine years, and with some charges regarding their failure to cooperate with the investigation.

The Man City hierarchy continue to plead their innocence, with their violations said to include "sham" contracts and concealed financials, and the Premier League powerhouses have continued to challenge the verdict after years of legal battles.

As the post-international break run of fixtures gets underway this weekend, the potential sanctions on the horizon for City remain unclear at this stage, but they could include punishments of points deductions, title-stripping and possible expulsion from the Premier League.

Given the seismic shockwaves sent through English football following the verdict, several top flight managers have spoken out, with the usually erudite Sunderland boss, Le Bris, atypically fierce on the matter.

Sunderland have already faced Man City this season and felt the full force of their financially fuelled side, with £125m summer signing from Chelsea, Enzo Fernandez, scoring the opener with a stunning free-kick.

Man City beat the Black Cats 5-3 despite the hat-trick heroics from Brian Brobbey before the break, and now, ahead of Sunderland's home clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon, Le Bris had some choice words for the Black Cats' recent opponents.

Although the Sunderland boss did not comment on the legal specifics of the case, Le Bris made it clear that the footballing authorities and the Premier League must be "relentless" with Man City, or risk the credibility of English football.

Le Bris, as quoted by the Sunderland Echo, said in his pre-Brighton press conference: "There are still ongoing legal proceedings, so it’s not for me to comment on that.

"My position is simple: football has rules on and off the pitch, and you have to respect those rules.

"When they are broken, you should have consequences; otherwise, it’s not fair, and we want fair competition, we want fair play.

"It is hard to understand exactly what the charges are, as it happened ten years ago, more or less. We were not here in Sunderland, for example.

"But it is about respecting rules, so it’s key because if you don’t have fair competition, it’s a bit weird. That’s more or less the feeling we have in the building."

This weekend, Man City return to Premier League action with their trip to Liverpool on Sunday, with Sunderland hosting the Seagulls at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.

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