Manchester City Found GUILTY On All 115 Charges And Now Could Face A Premier League Ban

For the common sports fan who only casually follows the Premier League this investigation has taken YEARS. It started in 2018. Eight years later there's finally a decision and Manchester City has been found guilty of the 115 violations which could mean BIG problems for the team that has dominated the sport over the last 15 years. Now the process begins on what the actual punishment would be. 

The potential punishments are outlined in rule W.51 of the Premier League’s handbook, with a range of potential options for the panel to consider if City are found to have broken the rules.

Sanctions range from a reprimand and fines to points deductions — and even expulsion from the Premier League.

Any points deduction could be applied when the decision is made or retrospectively, raising the prospect of City being stripped of titles.

“I would expect that if there is a points deduction, it would be applied going forward,” James Hill, a legal director specialising in sports regulatory matters at Onside Law, told The Athletic in 2023.

“Generally, panels don’t like deciding titles in a court process. Doing it that way does not give a real tangible punishment to the club.”According to rule W.51.7, the panel could choose to combine any number of the punishments outlined in the rulebook or impose other sanctions they deem appropriate.

There's been so much speculation about the potential severity of the punishment that Manchester City relegation odds have a major points deduction baked in before the past two seasons. They're one of the best teams in the league. In normal circumstances they would have ZERO shot at being relegated, but there odds to go down were always similar to mid-table clubs instead a team pushing for trophies every season. 

If this happened to Forest or Everton or Bournemouth...we are talking a HUGE points deduction to the point that it would be essentially a forced relegation. This is the Premier League though and there are two tiers of justice. I am skeptical that any real punishment for City will be handed down. The Big 6 is still a caball. They run the league. Forest received a major points deduction a few years ago because they held out selling home-grown Brennan Johnson for a few weeks beyond the deadline and they were punished for revenues/losses going back to a time when they weren't even in the Premier League. Everton had a similar situation. Somehow all of those investigations, rulings, and punishments were all finalized while the Manchester City investigation was in like year 4. That could be because there was WAY more to actually investigate and it could also be because City is City and the Premier League doesn't want to damage one of their strongest brands and the revenue that comes with them.

What I'd like...a precedent set. Throw the book at them, but make it interesting. Don't just straight up relegate them or ban them. Give City a 55 point deduction and make them fight for survival every single week. Last year Tottenham barely stayed up with 39 points. City finished with 78 in what was a down year by their recent standards. 55 point deduction would relegate them. They're unbeaten to start this year. If they finish this year with 90 points and stay up with 35 points after the deduction then credit to them. If not, Haaland will have to score 200 goals next year in the Championship. That would be justice. 

My guess is that they'll have a heavy fine which will be effectively ash tray money for their Qatari oil king owners, a slap on the wrist as far as a points deduction, and maybe a transfer ban for a year. They'll stay in the Prem. They'll stay in the top 6 and champions league and all of that because they're a big money club and money is all anyone cares about in sports anymore.