Points deduction 'most likely' as Man City found guilty on 114 Premier League charges

Manchester City have been found guilty on 114 of the 115 financial charges laid against them by the Premier League, with the club vowing to appeal a verdict that carries potential consequences ranging from a points deduction to expulsion from the top flight.

The charges, formally brought in February 2023, span alleged financial rule breaches dating back to the 2009-10 season — a period during which City accumulated multiple major trophies. The club has consistently and strenuously denied the allegations throughout the lengthy independent commission process.

Football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire, co-host of the Price of Football podcast, told TalkTV that a points deduction represents the most widely anticipated outcome. “There is no doubt a points deduction would be the most likely outcome in the view of many,” he said. “We have seen them before for Nottingham Forest and Everton for breaches of the financial limit rules. So that is feasible.”

The Premier League handbook gives the independent panel broad sentencing discretion. Maguire outlined the full range of options available: “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 fan’s perspective.”

Precedent for points penalties already exists in the top flight. Everton were docked 10 points in 2023 for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules — reduced to six on appeal — before receiving a further two-point deduction in April 2024 for a repeat offence. Nottingham Forest were penalised four points in 2024 after being found to have exceeded their permitted £61 million loss threshold by £34.5 million.

Former City chairman David Bernstein, who led the club between 1998 and 2003, said financial penalties alone would not be adequate. Speaking to Times Radio, Bernstein described the verdict as deeply painful on a personal level. “I felt absolutely awful, I felt in shock yesterday, actually,” he said. “To see all this tarnished in this way is very sad. I feel particularly bad for the wonderful supporters of the club who’ve stayed with the club through thick and thin.”

Bernstein added that he wants the punishment process resolved quickly, arguing that “money is not sufficient” given the scale of the findings. The sentencing phase is yet to begin, and City’s appeal means a final resolution could still be some way off.