Premier League 'got it so badly wrong' as Man City guilty verdict sparks furious reaction

Reports emerged on Friday that Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 financial rule breaches brought against them by the Premier League, triggering fierce criticism of the league’s handling of a case that has dragged on for years. City have maintained their innocence throughout and are expected to appeal the reported verdict.

TalkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham was among the most vocal critics, arguing the drawn-out process has left the Premier League’s reputation badly damaged. “It’s been pretty ugly really, and I’m actually really gutted by it,” Durham said. “It will be the same again, the Premier League, but it feels right now like it’ll never be the same again. This is huge.”

Durham acknowledged that rules had been broken while taking aim at the league’s own governance. “The rules that were put in place are anti-competitive. I don’t particularly like those rules, but they’re there, and they have been broken. And if the appeal fails, there will be a punishment.”

He was unsparing in his assessment of the league’s conduct over the course of the saga. “I think it’s really sad, but I also think it reflects so badly on the Premier League. There needs to have a long, hard, cold stare at itself in the mirror at how badly the Premier League has handled all of this. After all these years, for this verdict to happen, I think the Premier League has got it so badly wrong, and now we’re going to have to rewrite history.”

The potential consequences of a confirmed guilty verdict remain unclear. Points deductions, expulsion from the Premier League, and the stripping of past titles have all been raised as possibilities, though no official sanctions have been confirmed.

In an open letter published on Saturday, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak sought to reassure supporters, stressing the club’s confidence in its legal position. “The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began,” he wrote. He added that the strict confidentiality of the legal process prevented him from sharing further details at this stage.