Man City found guilty of 'vast majority' of 134 Premier League charges as relegation and lawsuits loom

Manchester City have been found guilty of the vast majority of the 134 disciplinary charges brought against them by the Premier League, according to reports confirmed by multiple sources.

Neither City nor the Premier League have formally denied the verdict, though neither has officially confirmed it either. In keeping with a case conducted entirely in private with every party sworn to secrecy, there is a lot we don't know. But all of football is acting as if the reports of a big win for the Premier League are correct.

What were the charges?

City faced 134 charges covering alleged breaches of financial rules over a prolonged period during the Abu Dhabi ownership era. The charges related to the accuracy of financial information provided to the Premier League, alleged failures to cooperate with investigations, and alleged breaches of profitability and sustainability rules.

Will City appeal?

Almost certainly. Under Premier League rules, City have 14 days from the official announcement to submit an appeal. The appeal would focus solely on the panel's decision, not any resulting punishment, which has not yet been determined. City would be allowed to submit new evidence, provided it was not previously available, and make fresh oral presentations.

The appeal hearing should take no more than five days, with a verdict expected within 30 days. The entire process is expected to conclude within 12 weeks.

If the appeal fails, City could pursue arbitration, but this is a much stricter route, only possible if the judicial panel or appeal board is found to have abused the legal process.

What punishment could City face?

The independent panel has a range of sanctions available, from fines at one end to complete expulsion from the league at the other, with points deductions in between. Given the magnitude of the verdict, City can expect punishment "at the sharper end of the scale" if their appeal fails.

Could other clubs sue?

Yes. The Guardian reports that Premier League clubs and relegated sides have been assessing financial losses they may have incurred during the period City were winning and, appeal pending, breaking the rules.

Manchester United, for example, finished second behind City in 2017-18 and were potentially denied a record-breaking 21st league title. Clubs who were relegated could argue they were sent down because of points denied to them by a side subsequently found to have cheated.

A wave of lawsuits is expected if the verdict is ultimately upheld. Premier League clubs reportedly lost their appetite for legal action after an estimated £50 million cost to the competition last season, but a guilty verdict of this scale would reignite those claims.

What does this mean for the current season?

City are five wins from five under Enzo Maresca and sit top of the Premier League. They have spent a record £458 million this summer rebuilding their squad. Whether any sanction would apply to this season or retrospectively is unclear and would depend on the timing of the appeal process.

The written reasons from the original judicial panel have not yet been published. The unique scale of this case has meant that normal procedures have not always been followed.