Man Utd legend Paul Scholes has given his opinion on whether Man City should face a points deduction if they are found guilty in their financial fair play case.
The Citizens have been accused of breaching the Premier League’s financial fair play rules on at least 115 occasions as they await the outcome of the case.
An independent commission examined the case between September and December 2024 after the Premier League opened an investigation into Man City way back in 2018.
Following a number of lengthy legal delays, charges were finally laid against Man City in February 2023 with the Citizens accused of failing to accurately report financial information, including around the value of sponsorship deals, the submission of details of manager and player pay information and to a club’s responsibility as a Premier League member to adhere to UEFA’s financial regulations and to the league’s own profitability and sustainability rules (PSR)
A verdict is believed to be imminent but no-one knows quite when the public will find out the verdict with details being kept under wraps.
There have been claims that Man City could face relegation via a hefty points deduction if found guilty of the serious alleged breaches.
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And Scholes reckons a points deduction would be a “fair punishment” if Man City are found to have seriously broken the rules.
Scholes said on The Overlap: “It’s hard to say what would be a fair punishment for Manchester City if they were found guilty – just as long as it’s fair.
“Nottingham Forest and Everton have had punishments as well, so as long as it’s along those fair lines. I’m not saying it has to be the same as Everton and Forest, but I think it will be points.”
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Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys insists he is “hearing” that we are “not far off” from learing the verdict in Man City’s case but he reckons the “smart money has got to be on a fudge”.
Keys wrote on his blog: “I’m hearing we’re not far off from learning the outcome to the 130 charges City have faced. The smart money has got to be on a fudge. Why do I say that? Well – a number of reasons really.
“A big clue is Sky telling their pundits to go easy with their thoughts about the judgement. If City were going to get nailed I’m sure they’d be allowed to say what they like but I reckon their anger is going to have to be tempered.
“Just as the British govt got deeply involved in the decision to allow the Saudi’s to take over at Newcastle, it’s a certainty they’ll have had something to do with the outcome in this case. Boris Johnson didn’t want to p*ss MBS [Mohammed bin Salman] off – and Starmer can’t afford to fall out with the Emeratis. I might be wrong, but I don’t think so.”
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