Manchester City punishment decision: Premier League instructed to deduct points from champions, following publication report
Manchester City are accused of breaching financial rules, with one poll enforcing a similar points deduction to the one dished out to Everton
Manchester City should follow Everton with a points deduction after being accused of 115 breaches, relating to the club’s finances, dated between 2009 and 2018, according to a new report.
Last week, the Toffees were slapped with a 10-point deduction in the Premier League, after posting financial losses for the fifth successive year in March, having reported a £44.7 million deficit in 2021/22. Manchester City, too, have been charged with breaking financial fair play rules over 100 times over a nine-year period but are yet to face punishment.
Now though, the Premier League have been urged to act on City in the harshest possible terms, with a poll from the Express claiming that a points deduction would be a just response.
The majority of those who voted on the poll (41 per cent) believe that City should be docked points following the charges. Over a third of those asked, however, would like to see a harsher punishment, with 36 per cent saying Pep Guardiola’s side should be kicked out of England’s top flight.
Fewer than a quarter of voters believe that titles should be stripped of the Treble winners. No team has ever had their Premier League trophy rescinded before, with Everton only the third to be deducted points, following Middlesbrough and Portsmouth.
Chelsea, too, have been accused of breaching regulations and could face punishment either from the Premier League or UEFA.
Among other allegations, Manchester City are accused of not fully disclosing how much money was paid to one of their managers over a four-year period, with a secret contract implied.
In February 2020, City were banned by UEFA from European competition for two seasons – though the Eastlands outfit took that case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), only for the ban was overturned.
