Former Arsenal and England midfielder Paul Merson has called for Manchester City to be stripped of all trophies they won during the years 2009 to 2018.
Merson notably opposes the idea of awarding those titles to the clubs that finished in second place during that period.
He stated:
First and foremost, take away all their trophies. I think that’s the first thing that needs to happen.
This isn't about us. In 50, 60, or 70 years, our children and grandchildren will look back at history and see that Manchester City dominated. It won’t mention that the club was found guilty of breaches. Therefore, in my opinion, this needs to be wiped out.
However, Merson doesn’t believe the titles should be handed to the clubs that finished behind City:
I'm not saying those titles should go to the teams that finished second. To me, that would be a blow for those clubs in itself.
But the achievements of City during that time, in my view, should be erased. If you have such a significant advantage, it’s no surprise you dominate. With that kind of advantage, even I would expect to dominate as a manager.
Merson also reflected on Arsenal under Arsène Wenger, suggesting the situation was particularly painful for the Gunners as City not only enjoyed a financial edge but also acquired top players from Wenger’s squad:
I’m saying this not just because it’s about Arsenal. Wenger was trying to build a stadium while keeping the team competitive, and City was doing what they were doing, on top of buying Arsenal's best players.
This made Arsenal even weaker. So for me, the first decision would be to strip them of those titles.
Manchester City, however, disagrees with the commission's findings and intends to appeal. The club stated that the ruling contains significant errors regarding law, principles, and facts, stressing that the process is not yet concluded.
Premier League chief Richard Masters remarked that the punishment has yet to be defined:
This disciplinary case and the decision taken are the most significant in Premier League history. There are still some questions to resolve, primarily regarding what sanctions should follow these breaches.
Now that the commission's decision has been made, we aim to move through the rest of the process as quickly as possible to provide clarity for the league, clubs, and fans.
