Manchester City Awaits Verdict on 115 Financial Breaches
Manchester City and the Premier League are currently awaiting the outcome of an independent hearing regarding the club's 115 alleged breaches of financial rules. These significant charges span a period from 2009 to 2018. Despite the hearing concluding in December 2024, a verdict has not yet been announced, 14 months later. Manchester City has consistently denied all allegations.
Hearing Delay Explained
The prolonged delay in reaching a verdict is likely due to the complex challenge of coordinating the three senior individuals responsible for the final judgment, as explained by football finance expert Kieran Maguire.
"The delay is likely due to the challenge of coordinating three senior individuals responsible for the final judgment." — Kieran Maguire
Potential Punishments and Precedent
Should Manchester City be found guilty, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has outlined the potential repercussions. The Premier League is limited to imposing a points deduction, as relegation to the English Football League (EFL) falls under EFL jurisdiction, and no charges have been proven against City by the EFL.
Maguire highlighted previous penalties for context: Everton and Nottingham Forest received six and four-point deductions, respectively, for single offenses covering three-year periods.
Given that the accusations against Manchester City cover a nine-year period and potentially involve significant financial figures, Maguire suggested that a deduction between 40 and 60 points would be consistent with prior decisions.
Hypothetical Impact of a 60-Point Deduction
To illustrate the potential severity, a hypothetical 60-point deduction applied to Manchester City's current season would drastically reshape the Premier League table.
Manchester City, currently holding 56 points, would plummet to -4 points, falling from second place to last. This monumental shift would leave them 14 points behind Wolves (19th) and 23 points behind Burnley (18th).
Such a scenario would significantly impact the title race, giving Arsenal a 10-point lead over Aston Villa. It would also boost the Champions League aspirations of other clubs, with Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool each moving up one position.
Furthermore, European qualification could open up for teams lower down the table; Brentford and Bournemouth, currently in sixth and seventh place respectively, could qualify for European competitions such as the Europa League and Conference League.
While mathematically possible to avoid relegation by winning all remaining 11 games and relying on other teams' results, a -4 point starting position would represent a substantial and unprecedented challenge for Manchester City.