Wayne Rooney has reiterated his stance on Manchester City's potential punishment after the club was found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules
Wayne Rooney has had his say on Manchester City's titles after the guilty verdict
Wayne Rooney has had his say on Manchester City's titles after the guilty verdict(Image: Match of the Day)
Wayne Rooney has maintained his previous assessment of Manchester City's potential punishment, confessing he would be uncomfortable receiving a Premier League winners' medal amid ongoing suggestions that the club might have its titles revoked.
City was found guilty of all charges bar one leveled by the Premier League, though the club has submitted an appeal against the independent commission's verdict and has consistently asserted its innocence.
Enzo Maresca's players returned to league soccer with an emphatic 3-0 triumph over Liverpool, their opening match since the charges decision was announced. Nonetheless, the possibility of serious sanctions remains suspended over the club.
READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk promises to give honest thoughts on Man City and outlines 'hurt'
READ MORE: Liverpool injury latest and return dates after Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexander Isak update
Appearing on Match of the Day, Rooney stated: "They could be fighting for the title or fighting for relegation. No one knows where it's going to end up.
"It's a bad situation to be in, but as far as the players are concerned, all they can do is go out and try and do their job on the pitch.
"As I said before, the powers above them and the independent panel will decide what happens in terms of the punishment. They can only go out and play, and try to beat what's in front of them."
Wayne Rooney was famously denied a Premier League title by Manchester City in 2012
Wayne Rooney was famously denied a Premier League title by Manchester City in 2012(Image: Getty Images)
When Match of the Day presenter Kelly Cates enquired whether he would accept a retrospective title winners' medal with United having come runners-up to City during the timeframe covered by the charges, Rooney responded: "It's difficult.
"I look at it from the players' point of view. I'm assuming all the players didn't know what was going on. They went on to the football pitch and won the league, while we finished second. We didn't finish first. Why would we want a medal for finishing second?"
Rooney has previously stated he would feel uneasy about receiving a medal.
"I have heard Rio has come out saying about getting another Premier League medal... I wouldn't really feel comfortable accepting another Premier League medal, if I'm being honest," said Rooney on the 'Stick To United' podcast.
"I don't think we deserve it. We didn't do enough that season to win the league. I think we were six or seven points clear with four or five games to go, and we threw it away.
"I've seen everything that has come out over the past few days, and listening to people, and I was putting myself in a Man City player's shoes.
"It might happen, they might take them [medals] away, but I wouldn't want it [a medal] because I don't think as a team we deserved it that year, because obviously we didn't finish first.
"So when I see teammates saying, 'I want a medal,' I'm happy with the five I've won. I wouldn't want this one. Should they get it stripped for what the owners have done? Yeah, maybe, but I wouldn't feel comfortable accepting it."