MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 17: Manchester City fans celebrate in the stands during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester City and Ipswich Town at Etihad Stadium on October 17, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Isaac Parkin/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 17: Manchester City fans celebrate in the stands during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Manchester City and Ipswich Town at Etihad Stadium on October 17, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Isaac Parkin/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
Manchester City are facing the prospect of spending the next two years in The Championship as the Premier League prepares to throw the rule book at them.
Enzo Maresca’s side have made a flawless start to the new domestic season and toasted a record seventh straight win under their new head coach on Saturday.
City’s impressive run of victories has come amid a backdrop of uncertainty after they were found guilty last month of over 100 charges in relation to breaches of financial rules.
An appeal has already been lodged and City maintain they will prove their innocence once they present what they claim to be ‘irrefutable proof’ in front of the independent pannel.
Get personalised updates on your favourite club
Sign up to our daily football newsletter, pick your team and get the latest news sent directly to your inbox every morning.
The Premier League, according to the Daily Mail, however, are set to preempt the result of the appeal by handing down a severe punishment for the offences committed over a near 10-year period between 2009 and 2018.
Maresca’s side will reportedly earn a points deduction so significant that it will guarantee their demotion to the second tier of English football for the first time since 2001.
A weighty fine is also anticipated, while it is also claimed that City could begin the 2027/28 season with a points penalty that would severely limit their chances of earning an instant return to the Premier League.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The EFL would need to ratify that punishment but it is not thought, at this stage, that they would seek to limit City’s handicap.
Given the chaos it would cause, City will not instantly be kicked out of the Premier League and would have to complete their remaining fixtures, no matter how futile.
Nor are City likely to face the ultimate ignominy of beginning next season at the bottom of the football pyramid in League Two.
City’s immediate focus, meanwhile, centres on tomorrow night’s Champions League game against AEK Athens, ahead of which Enzo Maresca confirmed Antoine Semenyo would miss the next two months with a knee injury.
The Ghana international suffered the problem in the latter stages of Saturday’s Premier League victory over Ipswich, having only entered the game as a 77th-minute substitute.
Maresca admitted the club were actually relieved the problem was not more serious, with the issue proving to be collateral damage around the knee rather than a major ligament rupture.
City boss Maresca said: ‘In the first moment we expected an even worse injury, so we were more worried, but after the scan we feel much better.
‘It is not so big like we expected. It could be eight weeks. Now the most important thing is to recover it.
‘When he is back, probably around December, we will have a new player.’