Man City told title rivals Arsenal & Liverpool are already hoping for FFP points deduction to 'derail' bid for five-in-a-row after perfect start to Premier League season - with hearing on 115 charges looming

Former Blues defender Richard Dunne admits as much, with Pep Guardiola’s side bursting out of the blocks again in 2024-25. Despite Euro 2024 finalists Rodri and Phil Foden seeing limited game time, City have found a way of taking maximum points from their opening three games – scoring nine goals in the process.

The history books were rewritten last season when securing domestic dominance in a fourth successive campaign, and five-in-a-row is now the target for all concerned at the Etihad Stadium. City continue to ignore all off-field distractions, with 115 FFP charges still hanging over the club.

Ex-City captain Dunne – speaking in association with online bingo site, Heart Bingo – has told GOAL when asked if points penalties may already be the greatest ally for the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool and their respective bids to wrestle a prestigious crown away from Manchester: “I think most teams, as they do every every season, will find it difficult to keep up with Man City. The quality that they have got in their squad – when you think that the likes of Rodri and Foden haven’t really played much this season, they haven’t got going, so there is still loads to come and more.

“Every year we know that Man City are going to be the pacesetters and the team that you have to beat to try and win the league. I’m sure everyone is hoping for something that comes up to derail them. At the moment, in terms of what they are doing on the pitch, they look like a really strong force. I’m sure people doubted whether they had the motivation to go for five-in-a-row, but they certainly seem like they do.”

City’s Financial Fair Play case is due to be heard before the end of the year. No date has been put in place for a ruling on potential sanctions, with there still plenty of speculation to be found regarding point deductions, hefty fines and demotion out of the English top-flight.