Manchester City has been told it should hand over some of its titles to Liverpool after being found guilty of nearly all of the 115 Premier League charges against it
Manchester City could potentially be stripped of some of its Premier League titles
Manchester City could potentially be stripped of some of its Premier League titles(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Graeme Souness claims Liverpool has grounds to contend that several of Manchester City's Premier League titles ought to be transferred to it. The Merseyside legend believes City's achievements will be wiped out should their appeal against being found guilty of 114 charges prove unsuccessful.
City have been found guilty of nearly all of their 115 charges connected to violations of the Premier League's financial rules. The Premier League initiated legal proceedings alleging that the club had committed breaches spanning from 2009 to 2018.
Liverpool competed with the Etihad outfit during an era in which it secured one top-flight championship and was pipped to the title by City, despite accumulating in excess of 90 points.
The ex-Reds manager and skipper has put forward the case that the silverware which the Etihad Stadium side claimed during that timeframe should be awarded to their runners-up, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Souness said: "The legacy is gone. If it goes the wrong way for them they'll be consigned to history that they were cheats and whatever they did, whatever they won in that period, should not count.
"There's an argument for Liverpool to have a couple of Premier Leagues given to them. For them [City] to be stripped of whatever they've won in that period of time, for them... money's not an issue.
"So whatever fine is just like a scratch on the surface. Relegation [as an option]... I don't know.
Liverpool legend Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness has called for some of Manchester City's titles to be handed over to Liverpool(Image: 2023 Visionhaus)
"But I come back to it. I think this is going to open a can of worms, which I think may go well beyond the realms of football."
According to a report published by The Times on Monday, the Premier League is set to submit its recommendations to an independent commission regarding the sanctions it deems appropriate for City.
A panel of three will convene a hearing to determine what penalties should be imposed on the club, with proceedings expected to span several weeks.
Amongst the potential punishments being considered, it has been suggested that the Premier League may push for a substantial points deduction, which could effectively result in relegation given the severity of the alleged offences. City's lack of cooperation throughout the investigation is understood to have counted against them.
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The resolution of the legal battle has cast a long shadow over the club since the probe was launched following the leaking of financial documents in November 2018.
The saga persisted throughout Pep Guardiola's reign at the Etihad, during which he steered the club to Premier League dominance and secured their maiden European crown with a victory over Inter Milan in 2023.
City responded with an official statement, declaring: "The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality.
"As such Manchester City FC's position remains consistent with the club's statement of February 2023.
"The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence."