Zohran Mamdani, the Arsenal-supporting mayor of New York City, has taken another swipe at Manchester City’s guilty verdict and said that the club “shouldn’t be in the Premier League”.
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From the mayor of Greater Manchester to the Mock the Week studio, Manchester City supporters have heard just about everyone’s take on the club’s guilty verdict over the last three weeks.
One of the most globally famous figures to join in the ribbing holds elected office more than 3,000 miles from the Etihad Stadium.
Mamdani, the mayor of New York City and a dedicated football fan, could not resist a jab at the club when given the opportunity to talk about last weekend’s Premier League results.
Man City shouldn't even be in the league: Mamdani
In a widely shared clip relayed by Politics Global, Mamdani was joking with a Liverpool fan at a press conference days after Manchester City’s win at Anfield. The mayor expertly managed to mock both clubs in a single breath.
“You got beat by a team that shouldn’t be in the league,” Mamdani told the reporter.
While brief, the line made Mamdani’s views on the controversy clear in a way that most UK politicians have steered clear of.
Not the New York City Mayor's first dig at Man City
Mamdani is no newcomer to the world of Premier League football. A lifelong Arsenal supporter who has followed the Gunners since the 1990s, the mayor has not kept quiet about his feelings on Manchester City’s case.
When the verdict landed, he posted a single “114” on his personal X account, a reference to the charges City were found guilty of. As Sports Illustrated reported, the post racked up more than 20 million views.
His Arsenal allegiance lends an extra layer to his jibes, of course - this is not a neutral observer, but a rival supporter taking aim at two other ‘Big Six’ clubs at once.
While Mamdani’s words were delivered with a smile, they reflect the serious opinions of scores of football fans who feel that Manchester City should be removed from the Premier League if the guilty verdict is upheld.
The club was found guilty of serious breaches of the competition’s financial rules across a nine-season period, with a separate sanctions hearing still to come. The club strongly deny any wrongdoing and have lodged an appeal, which is yet to be heard.
Lines like Mamdani’s are the sort of needling City supporters have grown used to since the verdict, though perhaps not often from so prominent a source.
However, City fans can at least take comfort from their position at the top of the Premier League table, three points clear of Mamdani’s beloved Gunners.
The jokes will keep coming from every direction but, with a visit from Ipswich Town coming up on Saturday, the players will be determined to keep supplying answers on the pitch.