Manchester City ‘115 charges’ case could drag on beyond end of season
Manchester City’s hearing into more than 100 charges brought by the Premier League is taking longer than expected, raising fears that the season could finish with a cloud still hanging over the champions.
The hearing at the International Dispute Resolution Centre off Paternoster Square in Canada was tipped to run for 10 weeks but has already reached that mark and is currently paused to allow the two sides to prepare their closing arguments, The Lawyer reported.
Legal teams representing Manchester City and the Premier League may not begin that stage until mid-December, with an independent panel likely to deliver its verdict in March.
An appeal lasting several more months is anticipated – whatever the outcome of a case that could have profound implications for both sides – potentially taking the ultimate decision past the end of the season in May.
Manchester City face a significant points deduction or even expulsion from the top flight if found guilty of submitting false information about the value of their sponsorship deals and the size of payments to players and staff. The club denies all charges.
Premier League chiefs, on the other hand, will come under severe pressure if a process that began in February 2023 with a raft of charges ends in defeat for the organisation.
Manchester City have more immediate on-field problems after their worst run of form under manager Pep Guardiola continued in a dramatic 3-3 draw with Feyenoord on Tuesday.
Already on a five-game losing streak, the worst of Guardiola’s coaching career at any club, they became the first team in Champions League history to fail to win a game when leading by three goals with 75 minutes played.
They have now conceded at least two goals in six successive games for the first time since 1963 and have been priced as outsiders for a Premier League match for the time in seven years for Sunday’s showdown with leaders Liverpool.
Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan admits they cannot afford to lose at Anfield if they are to retain realistic hopes of winning a fifth consecutive title this season.
“To stay in the title race, probably yes, because 11 points would be a huge gap,” he said.
“Anfield is always tough, no matter the situation. We’ve struggled in recent years going there and we know Liverpool are a great team full of confidence right now.
“It’s going to be as tough as it is possible to be, but that sums up the situation right now. It seems we have to go through this season the toughest way possible.”