As Manchester City braces itself for the verdict on their 130 charges, and other clubs – including Liverpool – awaits a long-anticipated resolution, numerous figures in football have weighed in. Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have been particularly vocal, contributing to the ongoing discussion as the process nears its conclusion.
City are still awaiting the hearing’s outcome, with a range of potential consequences if they are found guilty. The current Premier League champions – who deny any wrongdoing – could face point deductions or even relegation, with a transfer ban also among the possible penalties.
“A points deduction would be the most likely outcome should the club be found guilty,” football finance expert Kieran Maguire said on Football on Trial: The Manchester City Charges podcast on BBC Radio 5 Live. “As for the quantum of points deduction, if Everton were initially given a 10 points deduction for going around about £10/12 million over the limits in one particular season, I think, in order to set an example to the rest of football, it’s got to act as a deterrent.
“We’ll probably be looking at somewhere in the region of 60 to 100 point, which would effectively guarantee relegation out of the Premier League and into the lower tiers of football in the EFL,” Maguire added. However, City could still be exonerated, or receive a less severe punishment.
City has refuted the charges concerning alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. Amid this, Sky Sports has cautioned pundits to avoid making “snap judgements” when discussing the outcome, although Neville and Carragher have both had plenty to say on the subject in the past.
‘Incompetent’ warning
Neville, speaking on Sky Sports in February 2023, highlighted the high stakes involved: “They’ve got a major fight on their hands, and there’s going to be a major loser here. The Premier League are going to be found to be incompetent if they can’t land the charges, and obviously if they do land the charges on Manchester City then it’s going to obviously tarnish the last 10 years for many people – particularly clubs who’ve been fighting that sort of, if you like, fight against them.
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“I come at it from two different ways – if they broke the rules they should get the book thrown at them and that will happen, but if they haven’t then the Premier League, four years it’s taken them, I’m a little bit nervous about the Premier League’s defence in the sense that this morning they’ve had six of the charges changed which is really sloppy having been investigating it for four years.
“This will play out for a few years, I have to say I don’t get angry about Manchester City and these charges over the last 10-15 years, because for me it’s just another thing that has happened in football.”
Neville urges City to speed the process up
Back in May 2023, Manchester City were ramping up to challenge the allegations against them concerning purported violations dating as far back as 2009. Fresh off securing their third consecutive Premier League title, they would press on to claim a fourth straight crown in 2024.
Neville weighed in on Monday Night Football, declaring: “If the rules are in place then you have to abide by them,” after previously expressing some understanding towards City regarding FFP matters.
He added: “There’s no doubt that for Manchester City, their owners and their executives, if some of the most serious of these charges were to be brought forward and they were to be found guilty of them, then the damage would be long lasting and it would be tainting.
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“However, on the other side, I must mention, if the Premier League were not to see through these charges then the damage to their executive would be equally long-lasting. There is a massive pressure moment coming in the next couple of years. It’s something that really isn’t going to go away until it’s dealt with.
“I have to say if they can accelerate it forward – and we need due process and law, you’ve got to let it take its course – but this is a sporting situation, it’s not a criminal situation like in a normal court. Let’s move it forward and try and get it closed as quickly as possible.”
Carragher’s ‘asterisk’ claim
On the same edition of Monday Night Football, Carragher didn’t mince his words. “Manchester City don’t want this, supporters don’t want it, the Premier League don’t want it. It’s not good when we’re talking about one of the best teams of all time in the Premier League – and manager – and there’s this asterisk above it until this is sorted out,” he opined.
“My message to Manchester City would be: this needs to get sorted sooner rather than later, for your own reputation. There’s no doubt about it, if they’re found guilty of all this then everything would be tainted.”
Relegation prediction
His forecast on Manchester City’s predicament wasn’t confined to the broadcast. Back in October 2023, amid Everton’s own troubles with a potential points deduction, Carragher took to social media to comment on what might lie ahead for City.
“The [Premier League] want a 12-point deduction for Everton for one charge. Man City are going to end up in the National League North if the PL get their way!” he posted.
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“Unbelievable the amount of stories that come out of Everton’s situation. But Man City’s, which has 114 more charges and gone on for much longer, has all gone very quiet.”
Ultimately, Everton saw a 10-point penalty imposed in November of that year, which was later reduced to six upon appeal. They faced another two-point deduction later in the 2023-24 season for a different breach of Profit and Sustainability regulations.
Carragher’s ‘shadow’ argument
“[City manager Pep] Guardiola should be celebrated for his genius by neutrals as well as City fans. But whether he and his club likes it or not, City will never escape the shadow of those allegations until they are dealt with, the years of legal wrangling still preventing the club from clearing its name,” Carragher noted in a Telegraph article prior to Guardiola’s team seizing the 2023-24 title.
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“That is what baffles me about the whole sordid affair. When accusations are made against any individuals or institutions who have absolute certainty in their innocence, you would usually expect the demand of those involved to arrange a hearing at the earliest opportunity. Where is the statement from City expressing frustration or fury that the process is taking so long?
“Kicking the can down the road means too many insults are being directed at a brilliant manager and his extraordinary team – none of whom will have a clue about how the club was operating in those years under suspicion.”
Neville’s transfer theory
Manchester City had a relatively subdued presence during the summer 2024 transfer window. As mid-August approached, only Savinho had joined as a senior player.
Neville suggested that the charges looming over the club could have influenced their transfer activity.
On the Stick to Football podcast, Neville pondered the possibility of City playing it safe due to potential repercussions: “Last night it was announced that Manchester City’s hearing will start in four weeks.
“I wonder if they’re not signing anybody on purpose, thinking they might get the book thrown at them,” he suggested.
“If they think they’re going to get found guilty, and something ridiculous happens, they get relegated or deducted 20 points, they might think what is the point of signing players now. They got £82 million for [Julian] Alvarez, and they might just see what happens.”
Yet, City broke their silence in the transfer market, despite the pending legal situation, and invested heavily during the January and February windows. Perhaps their on-pitch challenges this season prompted action – City has splashed over $195 million (£150M) on signings such as Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush, and Nico Gonzalez.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Mirror by clicking here.
