Man City charges verdict – live: Bombshell decision set to be announced over Premier League charges

Man City have been priced at just 9/2 to be relegated following the reports that they have been found guilty of almost all of their 115 financial charges.

That would put their chances of relegation at 18 per cent, according to Betfair.

Enzo Maresca’s side are top of the Premier League by three points after five games and were very narrow second favourites (6/5) behind Arsenal (11/10).

But now City are 5/2 to win the league, with Arsenal just 8/11.

The Premier League’s case against Manchester City is not the first time the club have been involved in a long-running legal drama.

In November 2018, German newspaper Der Spiegel publish leaked documents, obtained by Football Leaks, alleging Manchester City had inflated the value of sponsorship deals in order to circumvent FFP rules.

Uefa launched investigation into Manchester City over alleged breach of FFP and in February 2020, announced a two-year Champions League ban and €30m fine. They ruled City committed “serious breaches” of FFP regulations between 2012 and 2016.

City describe the process as “prejudicial” appealed to The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), who overturned City’s two-year Champions League ban and reduced their fine to €10m.

Cas ruled that City were cleared of “disguising equity funds as sponsorship contributions” but added the club did “fail to cooperate with Uefa authorities”.

The Premier League’s case against Manchester City may not end “any time soon”, according to leading sports barrister Yasin Patel of Church Court Chambers.

Mr Patel says City will now look into whether the independent commission followed the correct procedures and will keenly look for “wrongly interpretation of law and legal errors” during the hearing.

“Sanctions could include a major fine, points deduction, relegation or even all three,” he said.

“Factoring in whether titles and trophies should be stripped, whether other clubs have been robbed of further revenue and opportunities due to City’s wrongdoings and losses incurred, we safely say that this is only the first chapter of a long-running legal saga that will not end any time soon.”

The final two years of the period encompassed by the charges came at the start of Pep Guardiola’s stint at Manchester City. Here is everything that the former manager said about the matter during his time at the club:

The Premier League are not commenting or providing guidance on the reports that the majority of charges against Manchester City have been proven. The Premier League say the process remains “private and confidential”.

With Manchester City saying that this process is still ongoing, it suggests there is a chance the case has already moved into the appeal stage.

Last month, before the start of the Premier League season, the Premier League’s chief executive said the case had “taken longer than expected”.

“It’s hugely complex. The hearing took 12 weeks,” added Masters.

“There’s only one available route through this, which is to allow the process to take its course.

“It has taken longer than expected, and I do understand the frustrations.”

A number of the charges against Manchester City included a “failure to cooperate” with the Premier League’s four-year investigation. According to the club, however, City still believe there is “irrefutable evidence” that proves their innocence.

Full breakdown of the charges brought to Manchester City

• 54 – Failure to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information (2009-2018)
• 14 – Failure to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation (2009-2018)
• 5 – Failure to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including Financial Fair Play Regulations
• 7 – Breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability regulations (2015-2018)
• 35 – Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations (2018-2023)

Chelsea voluntarily reported potential historical breaches of rules in 2022, concerning its use of unauthorised agents or unregistered intermediaries when signing new players and then submitted false and misleading documentation.

They primarily related to the seasons between 2010/11 to 2015/16, which came under the ownership of the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, and were discovered during the due diligence process following the change of ownership in 2022.

Chelsea admitted to all 74 breaches. In July, following a similar verdict from the Football Association, the Blues confirmed that the FA’s punishment “brings all regulatory proceedings against the club to a close”.

Everton, who were given a 10-point deduction over the breaches in November 2023, which was reduced to six points on appeal, launched another appeal against the ruling, which they said sets a “dangerous precedent” that could lead to a rash of other legal cases between clubs.

In March 2024, Nottingham Forest were docked four points for breaching PSR rules in the 2022-23 season. The club dropped into the relegation zone at the time, but survived relegation that season.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has already claimed a seventh Premier League winners’ medal following today’s reports of the Manchester City verdict.

City beat United to the title on goal difference in 2012, when Ferdinand was still part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, which falls inside the nine-year period where City have been found of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.

A Manchester City spokesperson insists the Premier League’s process over the alleged 115 charges “remains ongoing” after a bombshell report stated the club have been “found guilty on almost all of the charges.”

Having been initially charged in February 2023, The Athletic reported on Friday afternoon that City have been found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules in 114 of the 115 cases.

The report added that sanctions have not yet been decided, while former champions City are expected to appeal the landmark verdict.

Reacting to the reports on Friday, a Manchester City spokesperson said: “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 that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”

The short answer is yes, but there are a wide range of punishments available to the top-flight’s authorities. Sanctions could include fines and/or points deductions, and even expulsion as a member of the Premier League, which would require City to rebuild from the lower leagues.

Rule W.51 of the Premier League is the relevant section of its regulations, and it states that options for sanctioning a club found guilty of breaches include the powers to:

• “Suspend it from playing in League Matches”
• “Deduct points scored or to be scored in League Matches”
• “Recommend that the League expels the Respondent from membership”
• “Order the Respondent to pay compensation unlimited in amount to any Person or to any Club”

The rules state that any combination of punishments could be applied, and that penalties could be conditional or contingent on a “defined action” being taken.