…Manchester City face the prospect of having their Premier League titles stripped and potentially being awarded to whoever finished second to them in the seasons
Graeme Souness believes there is an argument for Liverpool to be given two more Premier League titles if Manchester City are stripped of their trophies. The Reds finished second to City in the 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2021/22 seasons by a combined four points across those three campaigns.
Souness, 73, played over 350 times for Liverpool and also managed the club for more than 150 matches. He says City’s legacy will be wiped out if they fail to succesfully appeal against any of the Premier League charges for which they are found guilty of.
Souness said on Track Radio: “The legacy is gone. If it goes the wrong way for them, they’ll be consigned to history as cheats, and whatever they did, whatever they won in that period, should not count.
“There’s an argument for Liverpool to have a couple of Premier Leagues given to them. For them [City] to be stripped of whatever they’ve won in that period of time.
“For them, money’s not an issue, so whatever fine is just like a scratch on the surface. Relegation [as an option]… I don’t know, but I come back to it, I think this is going to open a can of worms, which I think may go well beyond the realms of football.”
The Times reported on Monday that the Premier League will put forward recommendations to an independent commission regarding the sanctions it considers appropriate for City. A three-person panel will hold a hearing to determine what punishments shall be imposed on the club, with proceedings expected to start in the coming weeks.
Amongst the potential penalties, it has been suggested that the Premier League could pursue a substantial points deduction, which might effectively result in relegation, given the severity of the alleged breaches. City’s lack of cooperation throughout the inquiry has been cited as a factor working against the club.
The result of the legal battle has been looming over City for a considerable period since the investigation commenced in November 2018, following the leak of financial documents.
It has continued throughout Pep Guardiola‘s time at the helm, during which he led them to Premier League dominance and secured their maiden Champions League win after defeating Inter in 2023.
City issued a statement saying: “The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such, Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.
“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.”
COURTESY: Express UK
