Liverpool legend Andy Robertson is of the view that Manchester City players should keep their Premier League medals despite the club being found guilty of all but one of 115 charges for breaching Premier League financial rules.
As per The Athletic (via The Sun), City have been found guilty of 114 of 115 charges, which were later upgraded to 130. While the sanctions haven't been decided yet, potential punishments include points deductions, fines and even expulsion from the top flight.
City have denied all the charges for the alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018 and are expected to appeal, as per the BBC. However, Robertson reckons that City players shouldn't be stripped of their Premier League medals won during the period of the charges.
"I think you can hear the shock in my voice," he said (as per The Sun). "I haven’t actually seen the news. The case has obviously been going on. For me, the players showed they were good enough on the pitch.
“I don’t know too much about the charges and stuff like that. But they had an incredible team, one that I loved battling against. I don’t think when it comes to these things that players are ever to blame. That’s all I can focus on.”
The outcome of the City case was communicated to clubs after a Premier League meeting on Thursday (September 24), as per The Sun.
During the said period of the charges (2009-2018), City won nine domestic titles, including three Premier League honours, with the third of those top-flight titles (2017-18) coming under Pep Guardiola.
Liverpool could be beneficiaries if Manchester City are stripped of Premier League titles after alleged breach
Manchester City vs Aston Villa - Premier League - Source: Getty
Manchester City vs Aston Villa - Premier League - Source: Getty
If Manchester City are stripped of their top-flight titles between 2009 and 2018, Liverpool could be declared the 2013-14 Premier League winners, with Manchester United to win the other two (2011-12 and 2017-18).
City won the 2011-12 Premier League title on a dramatic final day, coming from behind to score a stoppage-time winner against Queens Park Rangers to finish ahead of the Red Devils.
Their 2013-14 title was another close affair, as they capitalised on a late-season implosion by Liverpool to finish two points ahead of the Reds. City's 2017-18 win was more convincing, as they finished a whopping 19 points in front of United, who finished with 81 points.