The Etihad Stadium among bushes
Manchester City have lodged an appeal(Image: Getty Images)
Coventry City could be handed a £100m cash boost if Manchester City are relegated from the Premier League, as they wait to discover their punishment for breaching financial rules. The Premier League has found the former champions guilty of arranging "sham contracts" with commercial partners, which overstated their income by nearly £900m.
The charges relate to a nine-year period from 2009-10 to 2017-18 during which City were immensely successful, banking the Premier League title, the FA Cup, and the League Cup, securing a total of eight trophies. Man City has denied wrongdoing and has appealed the independent commission's decision, having been found guilty on 114 of 115 charges, 35 of which related to non-cooperation with the investigation.
Relegation to the Football League is a possible punishment, with some critics claiming that they should be stuck in League Two, although the sanction has yet to be confirmed. But if relegation happens, Coventry's chances of survival will statistically increase, with one of the relegation spots already accounted for. That would be worth more than £100m for the Sky Blues, who would just need to finish 18th to stay up this season, providing the punishment is applied this season.
The nightmare scenario would be that the punishment would only come into effect after the end of this season, in August, meaning finishing 18th would still return Coventry to the Championship, which would likely lead the club to seek compensation.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher says Manchester City should be stripped of the titles they won during that period, but also claims the owners must also pay the price.
"The club are going to get punished," he said. "You've got supporters, players, the club and owners. For me this is all about the owners, the people who are at the top of the club.
"Man City are a wonderful club and have been for a hundred years and will be for hundreds of years going forward. But in terms of what we're finding out now, I don't know how the owners can continue in English football.
"We talk about a fit and proper test for owners. What they've done for 10 years - and left this stain that will be there for the next 10 years - it starts because they don't like the word no. When you see the statements - the one from [CEO Ferran] Soriano last night - it's beggars belief what you're hearing.
"They have so much power and finance behind them that nobody ever tells them no. Until they move away from the club, I don't know how this stain is removed from the club.
"City will move on - they will have great teams in the future. But I don't see how the ownership can continue after what's happened here and their reaction to it. How can they be surprised? They've got irrefutable evidence - well where is it? Put it out there."