Manchester City owners under threat! Gary Neville questions their future after guilty verdict

Neville has issued a stark warning to the Manchester City hierarchy, suggesting their position at the helm of the club is under significant threat. The pundit stressed that the integrity of the Premier League is at stake, especially given the scale of the alleged deception involving hundreds of millions of pounds.

"It's hard to see how the Man City owners can comply with the owners' and directors' test in this country if the verdict remains," Neville told Sky Sports.

"The reality is, because of improper owners of clubs, there are a lot stricter rules in place. It'll be difficult for the Man City owners to retain their status. Clubs are protected assets, community assets, because of the meaning of them to fans and people of a city, so owners have to comply with the rules and laws set out in the test."

The independent panel's investigation concluded that Manchester City had engaged in large-scale financial rule-breaking over a period of nine years. Central to the findings was the allegation that the club had artificially inflated its revenue through "sham" sponsorship deals, totaling more than £900m.

Neville insists that a mere financial penalty would be insufficient given the long-term impact on the sport. "The only appropriate punishment is to apply the owners' and directors' test, firstly, and then to look at the achievements over the period and determine whether they should still stand," he said, noting that the achievements are tarnished by the verdict.

He added: "Those two things would have the most direct consequence on English football. If I was Man City, I'd snap your hand off for a fine or points deduction, even if it was 60 points, because that would only damage you for a moment in time."

The debate surrounding Manchester City now shifts toward the legitimacy of their trophy-laden era under Pep Guardiola and his predecessors. Since the takeover in 2008, the club has become the dominant force in English football, but Neville believes these successes will be forever viewed through a lens of suspicion if the appeal fails.

Reflecting on the wider implications for the Premier League, Neville spoke about the damage done to the competition's global reputation. "To own a football club in this country is one of the greatest responsibilities you can have. It needs to be taken very seriously. We can't get bogged down with fines and points deductions, concentrate on the two most important things: the achievements during that time and what happens to the owners and executives who oversaw that period."

"The Premier League is our greatest export around the world, and now it's being dragged through the mud because the very best team over the last 15 years, as we stand, are guilty of winning titles inappropriately. That's devastating."

In response to the commission's findings, Manchester City have officially lodged a comprehensive appeal, contesting the verdict on multiple grounds. The club argues that the decision contains significant errors concerning the law, the principles of the investigation, and the facts presented.

This legal battle is expected to be lengthy, with the club determined to clear its name and avoid the severe sanctions mentioned by the Premier League, which could range from heavy fines to full expulsion from the top flight.