Football finance expert reveals why a points deduction is ‘the most likely’ punishment for Man City, whether Liverpool and Man United can claim ‘robbed’ Premier League titles and the compensation can of worms that awaits
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has revealed the ‘most likely’ outcome for Manchester City following their charges is a points deduction.
City and their fans, despite an almost-certain appeal, are nervously awaiting punishment after they were found guilty on the vast majority of their 115 charges around financial irregularities against the Premier League.
A number of cards are on the table, including financial punishments, a loss of points and the stripping of titles.
As is relegation, which could come into play if City are dealt a heavy deduction this season. And that, according to Kieran Maguire, is likely.
‘There is no doubt a points deduction would be the most likely outcome in the view of many,’ Maguire said on TalkTV. ‘We have seen them before for Nottingham Forest and Everton for breach of the financial limit rules. So that is feasible.’
It remains unclear what sort of punishment could be handed out, though, and things could yet get worse for the eight-time Premier League champions.
A football finance expert has warned Manchester City will likely face a points deduction after their guilty charges – pictured, City striker Erling Haaland
‘If you take a look at the Premier League handbook,’ Maguire added, ‘it says the recommendations are as broad based as you want them to be. Anything from a fine, to a points deduction, to expulsion from the league.
‘Also, it could be that the titles won during that period will be taken away, though you can’t retrospectively have the joy that winning a match and title brings from a fans’ perspective.’
In that case, a number of clubs could find themselves up on their major honours, with the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool set to benefit if City are stripped of titles.
A number of former United players have taken to social media to suggest they should now have more trophies to their names, while City also won the likes of the League Cup and FA Cup in the period of which they have been charged.
David De Gea, for example, posted on X: ‘So…… Let’s talk. How many Premier League titles have I won then?’
De Gea played for United from 2011 to 2023, winning the league title in the 2012-13 season.
If City were to hypothetically be stripped of their recent titles, though, he could be quids in.
Man United finished second in the Premier League in the 2011-12 season – the year De Gea joined the club, were then also runners-up in the 2017-18 campaign, in which De Gea played 37 of the 38 league games, and the 2020-21 season, with the Spaniard featuring in 26 league matches.
Former Man United players Rio Ferdinand (left) and David De Gea (right) have called for City to be stripped of titles
Rio Ferdinand was also keen to state his case, posting on X: ‘Another Premier League medal to be added to the cabinet.’
Former United manager Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, said in 2024: ‘We won the Europa League and finished second in the Premier League. I think we still have a chance to win that league. Maybe they punish Manchester City with points, we win that league. And then they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.’
Some have also likened the situation to that which faced Juventus 20 years ago. In 2006, the Italian giants were relegated, given a 30-point deduction and were stripped of two top-division titles after they were found to have been involved in conduct amounting to sporting fraud.
A can of worms could therefore be opened, and clubs will no doubt be eager to claim what they believe is theirs – whether that be in trophies or money.
Maguire pointed to the fee Everton were ordered to pay Burnley after they were found guilty of breaches in the 2021-22 season, which the Clarets argued helped Everton stay in the Premier League at their expense.
‘Then there is a separate issue where clubs who have lost out on titles could put in financial compensation for not getting into Europe,’ Maguire added. ‘For loss of prize money
‘We do have a precedent where Everton were told they had to give Burnley £35million for a single breach in a single season.’