Several executives from the English Premier League are holding covert discussions about the potential immediate expulsion of Manchester City from the league, without waiting for the conclusion of the independent commission's decision on punishment and the appeals process.
The intense dissatisfaction was sparked by Sunday’s match at Anfield, where Enzo Maresca's team thrashed Liverpool 3-0 in the second half. Following the second yellow card for Ryan Gravenberch, goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, and Ryan Cherki secured a dominant victory for the Mancunians, maintaining their perfect points tally. However, the atmosphere before, during, and after the final whistle had a surreal quality, as the sporting result risks becoming entirely meaningless.
Last month, an independent commission officially found Manchester City guilty of breaching 114 Premier League rules. The investigation revealed that between 2009 and 2018, the club employed fictitious sponsorship deals to inflate their revenue by approximately £900 million. City's hierarchy has lodged an appeal, continuing to deny any wrongdoing and claiming to possess “irrefutable evidence” that the funds came from the Abu Dhabi government rather than directly from the owners.
The initial tribunal of three judges already evaluated these arguments and concluded that this version was fabricated by the club retrospectively, aiming to cover up the existence of a scheme of hidden financing. The commission is currently deliberating on the scale of sanctions, which could include record financial penalties, a ban on registering new players, deduction of tournament points, nullification of previously won trophies, and even expulsion from the top division.
According to The Independent, representatives from rival Premier League clubs are seriously considering preventative measures, unwilling to accept the current situation.
Club executives are already in correspondence with each other, discussing whether the league should simply expel City from competition right now, or if the 15 clubs should initiate an official vote.
“This is an absolute farce that will lead to protests, undermine the integrity and reputation of the league, and could incite disorder and violence,” remarked one league official.
The board of directors is legally mandated to protect, strengthen, and promote the interests of the Premier League before shareholders.
Some football executives are closely examining the competition regulations, particularly rule B6, which theoretically allows 15 clubs to vote for the immediate exclusion of Manchester City from the league.
However, the report highlights that this scenario is deemed unlikely in practice: there are significant divisions among clubs, and many owners maintain close business and financial ties to Abu Dhabi entities.
