Man City financial investigation - LIVE: Premier League charge club and potential points deduction latest

The Premier League released a statement alleging that Manchester City have broken a number of their financial rules following a four-year investigation

Manchester City at risk of being expelled from Premier League after alleged rule breaches

Manchester City have been charged by the Premier League with numerous breaches of their financial rules, following a four-year investigation into the finances of the current Premier League champions.

In an unprecedented statement, the Premier League alleged that the breaches came over nine seasons, from 2009 to 2018. Manchester City won the Premier League three times during that period.

The Premier League said the alleged breaches referred to “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position” in particular its “revenue”, “sponsorship revenue” and “operating costs” and potential punishments range from fines to points deductions or even expulsion from the league.

The Premier League listed over 100 breaches of its rules during the nine-season period, and the club released an official statement in response saying they are “surprised” by the allegations, given the “extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials” they have provided but “welcome the review” and “ look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”

Follow all the latest updates with our live blog below:

Man City acused of breaching Premier League financial rules

• Man City charged with breaching Premier League financial rules
• The club is accused of over 100 breaches between 2009 and 2018 after a four-year investigation by Premier League
• City also accused of not co-operating with the investigation from December 2018
• A Man City club statement says they are “surprised” by the charges and confident of being exonerated
• Will football’s richest club escape punishment again?
• Football’s landmark moment and how white paper can change game forever

[6 February 2023 14:43 · Michael Jones]

Premier League accuse Man City of breaching financial rules

The Premier League has charged Manchester City with breaking its financial rules.

A long-running investigation into the club’s finances found alleged breaches of the rules between 2009 and 2018, and the report accused City of not co-operating with the investigation from December 2018.

The Premier League has referred the club to an independent commission over the investigation.

In a statement released on this morning the Premier League said City breached rules requiring them to provide “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position”.

This information included the club’s revenue, including sponsorship revenue and operating costs.

[6 February 2023 14:33 · Michael Jones]

Pep Guardiola rues missed opportunity in Man City’s defeat at Tottenham

Pep Guardiola insisted there was a long way to go in the Premier League title race but conceded Manchester City had missed an opportunity following their 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.

Harry Kane’s record-breaking goal in the 15th minute earned Spurs a third win from their last four matches against the Premier League champions, who could have closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to two points.

It proved to be Kane’s day with his scuffed first-half finish moving him beyond Jimmy Greaves’ tally and putting him alone as Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer with 267 goals to make both sides of north London happy.

[6 February 2023 14:23 · Michael Jones]

Kevin De Bruyne faces Pep’s displeasure but it’s Man City who pay the price

One of the two most creative passers on Manchester City’s books was in the starting 11. He had an assist after 14 minutes. Not for City, admittedly. Joao Cancelo was in the Bayern Munich team. The beneficiary of his supply line was not Erling Haaland but Kingsley Coman. He was facing Wolfsburg and a former Wolfsburg playmaker, Kevin De Bruyne, became the latest public target of Pep Guardiola’s displeasure. There was no pretence of a minor injury. His demotion was tactical. “Definitely,” said Guardiola. was

There are different forms of exile, to the Bundesliga and the bench. One will last for five months. The other spanned 58 minutes. It offered scant evidence City are better off without the player with the most assists in the Premier League this season and the fifth most in its history. It did demonstrate the restlessness of Guardiola, the fractiousness with some of his players that has extended beyond Cancelo’s dramatic fall from grace. But without the creators, City weren’t creative enough.

[6 February 2023 14:13 · Michael Jones]

Erling Haaland ‘might have picked the wrong club’, says Jamie Carragher

Jamie Carragher has suggested that Erling Haaland “might have joined the wrong club” and insisted that Manchester City are yet to get the best out of their Norwegian striker.

Haaland already has 25 Premier League goals after a summer arrival in Manchester, but struggled to make an impact during Sunday’s defeat to Tottenham.

The 22-year-old failed to register a single shot or touch in the Spurs box as Pep Guardiola’s side missed an opportunity to close the gap to league leaders Arsenal.

While Haaland remains on track to complete the most prolific individual scoring season in Premier League history, former Liverpool defender Carragher does not think that Guardiola has yet worked out how to fully utilise the forward’s considerable threat.

[6 February 2023 14:04 · Michael Jones]

History-making Harry Kane steals the show to leave Man City trailing

This young stadium enjoyed a special moment, as Pep Guardiola endured yet another bad evening here. The Manchester City manager could only watch as his side failed to do what Harry Kane has now made historic virtue out of. The Tottenham Hotspur legend has become their leading goalscorer, going one better than the great Jimmy Greaves with his 267th goal for the club. It proved the only goal of an invigorating 1-0 win over the champions, as they still haven’t scored at the Spurs Stadium since it was built in 2019.

That was this time without the recovering Antonio Conte present in the ground, as Guardiola’s problems only mounted. His side failed to take the chance to go within two points of Arsenal after the leaders’ loss at Everton on Saturday and that, most aggravatingly for the City manager, after his side barely mustered a chance at all.

Spurs will put that benefit to their great rivals out of their mind, just as they did for all of this game. The evening is of course about Kane, to dominate all headlines, but that only after a display of ultra-focus from Spurs. You could say that is because they now know this tactical approach against City so well but that is precisely what was missing in the 4-2 defeat in Manchester - as well as so many other games over the last few weeks.

[6 February 2023 13:56 · Michael Jones]

Who will be on the independent commission panel?

Stephen Taylor Heath, JMW head of sports law, told Sky Sports: “The commission will have a legal representative on the panel, and you’d expect that representative to be a pretty heavyweight King’s Counsel.

“Manchester City have had an obligation to comply with the Premier League’s investigation and they now have an obligation to comply with the commission’s procedure. If they don’t comply then a dim view will be taken.

“If the charges relate to administrative errors then the sanctions will be a slap on the wrist. You would think, if the Premier League have taken it this far, they either think there is a case to answer or they’ve simply got to the point where they haven’t been given the answers, and they’re now putting it to a commission to get those answers.”

[6 February 2023 13:50 · Michael Jones]

Government pushes back publication of White Paper on football

The publication of a Government White Paper expected to support the creation of an independent regulator for football has been pushed back.

This is not supposed to be linked with any of the news concerning Manchester City today but rather due to the volume of other business needed to get through by the government.

[6 February 2023 13:43 · Michael Jones]

The Erling Haaland issue that Manchester City must solve

As Pep Guardiola sat down to his post-game press conference, there were a few comments that could have been construed as swipes. He referred to Tottenham defending with nine men, and said he wouldn’t again describe them as “the Harry Kane team” as he didn’t want to upset Mauricio Pochettino. In truth, though, none of this was delivered with enough energy to feel any way deliberate as barbs. There wasn’t much energy at all, which was pretty much like his Manchester City team in their 1-0 defeat to Spurs.

The difference with his press conference after his previous match against the same opposition, just a few weeks ago, couldn’t have been more pronounced. It was then that Guardiola went on an impassioned monologue, referring to “happy flowers”. While his meaning was often difficult to decipher, the intention wasn’t.

Guardiola wanted a response out of his team. He wanted hunger. On the evidence of this, and even his response, he hasn’t got it.

[6 February 2023 13:34 · Michael Jones]

What punishments can the independent commission impose on a club?

Manchester City’s potential financial rule breaking is now being reviewed by an independent commission. The commission will the decide which punishment, if any, City will face.

There are a number of penalties with points deductions and heavy fines the most likely. Here’s what could happen to Man City if they’re guilty of breaking financial rules:

- Suspend a club from playing league matches

- Points deductions

- Recommend to the board that league matches be replayed

- Recommend to the board that the league expels the respondent club

- Order compensation

- Cancel or refuse registration of players

- Conditional punishment

- Order the club to pay costs

- Make such other order as it thinks fit

[6 February 2023 13:24 · Michael Jones]

Man City statement after being charged with over 100 financial rule breaches

Manchester City insist they are “surprised” at being charged by the Premier League with more than 100 alleged breaches of financial regulations.

The reigning champions could potentially be hit with a points deduction or even expulsion from the league if found guilty following a four-year investigation.

The unprecedented series of allegations from Premier League concerns a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018, with the club insisting there is “irrefutable evidence” to prove their innocence.