Premier League clubs fear Man City appeal will drag punishment past this season

Premier League clubs are increasingly worried that Manchester City’s appeal against their financial misconduct findings will not be resolved this season, leaving the standings in a state of prolonged uncertainty.

City were found guilty on all but one of more than 100 charges relating to violations of the Premier League’s financial rules. An independent commission determined the club had inflated commercial revenues and reduced costs by more than £920 million. City are contesting the findings, arguing that the UAE government — rather than the club’s owners — was responsible for some of the deals at the centre of the case.

The potential punishment remains undefined. A significant points deduction large enough to trigger relegation is one possibility, as is a substantial fine. There has also been speculation about title strippings, though no decision has been announced.

According to a source cited by The Telegraph, the mood among clubs is bleak: “The talk among clubs is that nobody can see it getting sorted out this season. That’s a massive problem because nobody is sure what they are playing for and whether or not the final positions will stand.”

An appeal hearing date has yet to be set, with a panel still being appointed to examine the evidence. Premier League rules state that an appeal commission must return a decision within 12 weeks, but that rule was not in place when the original charges were filed — a technicality City may look to exploit to extend proceedings further.

The appeal commission holds broad powers: it can scrutinise the original commission’s decision, review evidence, documents and witness transcripts, overturn some or all findings, or refer matters to a new commission for a retrial. Witnesses would not typically be re-examined, distinguishing the process from a full rehearing.

Should the appeal fail, City are reportedly prepared to take their case beyond sporting regulatory bodies entirely.

A second source underlined the frustration felt across the league: “City don’t appear to accept any guilt. Logically, you would think that having been found guilty on so many charges, they would look for some sort of settlement. But that doesn’t seem possible at the moment. Everybody is just waiting for the punishment and that is no good for the league or the clubs.”