Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Liverpool could be one of the teams to really feel the benefit of whatever punishment is handed down to Manchester City after they were reportedly found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations.
City are set to face the music for breaking 114 rules across a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018, and according to reports on Friday, there is a chance Liverpool could be awarded the 2013/14 title.
Even if City’s Premier League wins are not expunged and handed out to second place, they could be relegated or face significant points deductions, which could also help the Reds now and in the future. Their punishment has not yet been decided, so, as the sword dangles over them, Rousing The Kop asked Liverpool fans on social media how they wanted to see City pay for their crimes, with some inventive responses.
‘Stick Man City in the Scottish League’
Given past precedents set by the Premier League when deducting points from Everton and Nottingham Forest for much more minor breaches, the punishment for City here could be astronomical.
And according to Liverpool fans asked on RTK‘s Facebook and X pages, the sanctions should be harsh.
“Everton got 6pts for one breach so City should get the same. So, 6×114 = 684 point deduction,” one supporter calculated.
“Strip them of all their honours, give them to Liverpool FC and stick City in the Scottish League,” another inventively proposed.
READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp already shared what he thought of Man City’s titles being awarded to Liverpool
“70 point deduction for City distributed across two seasons, each one 35 points,” someone else put forward. “Let them compete relegation for two seasons, stress built on players and managers and club which will lead many players to leave City and dressing room problems. Make their life horrible.”
“I think the Premier League should make an offer to Citeh and put this to bed,” another said. “30 point deduction this year. Every title year from 2009 a 10 point deduction, which after appeal goes to 6 points. That hands one title to Man U, two to Arsenal & three Liverpool.”
“City should give up 20 points for every year where the cheating benefitted them and then pay the new Premier League winners the prize money they received, with interest,” was one more view. “All new winners should be celebrated properly. All records rewritten.”
Liverpool fans decide if they want the 13/14 title
Perhaps the biggest question for Liverpool fans is whether they actually want to be awarded the title which they could soon be handed.
Despite the Reds pushing City so hard under Jurgen Klopp, the one crown they could retrospectively win came with Brendan Rodgers as manager in 2013/14. Inspired by Luis Suarez and a reborn, deeper-lying Steven Gerrard, the Reds came so close. According to the majority of fans asked by RTK, though, there is no real appetite to see this one come home 12 years later.
“As a Liverpool fan I’d rather not have any league titles given in this way,” one supporter argued. “We are still a million miles in front of City with everything as it is now. City won’t catch up to Liverpool’s success in my lifetime and I’m happy with that. Spurs fan might think differently like.”
“No if we were awarded it it wouldn’t have been won on the pitch,” another agreed. “Take titles off City but don’t allocate them to someone else.”
“No. Gerrard wouldn’t want it. An asterisk next to every city trophy would be enough for him,” one more said, with another adding: “I wouldn’t want a title on the strength of someone else’s infractions. The team’s the team, 11 v 11, take it off them but don’t award it to anyone else.”
However, there were some who were keen to see Gerrard in particular honoured.
“Yes , we deserved to win the leagues and we fought fairly each season,” said one fan. “Now been proven that City cheated to the titles and deserve everything that’s coming to them. Us, UTD and Arsenal not only lost out financially but could have had successful seasons going forward. I for one would love to see Stevie G finally get that Prem title he was cheated out of.”
Meanwhile, another fan made a convincing final say on why the Reds should indeed take the title that was perhaps rightly theirs: “How is it a debate? Remove the cheaters and we are top of the list.”