Man City sent new 100-point deduction warning in FFP case as Premier League champions told punishment will be 'far harsher' than Everton or Nottingham Forest's

It is not the first time that the reigning Premier League champions have been told to brace themselves for a severe punishment. There are at least 115 charges hanging over the Etihad Stadium, with an independent hearing into supposed financial mismanagement being completed.

City are, along with the rest of the sporting world, waiting on a verdict. Various sanctions have been touted, ranging from points penalties and transfer embargoes through to complete expulsion from the English top flight.

Everton and Nottingham Forest saw points stripped from their respective tallies in 2023-24 for Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) breaches, with precedents being set there. City will be hit considerably harder if they are deemed to have broken Financial Fair Play regulations.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has told the Tear Us Apart podcast of what could happen to City: “Looking at the commission reports for Nottingham Forest and Everton when they have both been charged by the Premier League, it is noticeable that the commission conclusion was that they were 'minor breaches'. They were minor breaches and they resulted in a four-point deduction [for Forest] and a six-point deduction [for Everton, which was reduced from 10 on appeal]. What Manchester City is being accused of is effectively corporate fraud, which has to be constituted as a major breach of the rules.

“If guilty, and I really have to stress the word 'if', the punishment is likely to be far harsher [than what Everton and Nottingham Forest got]. It has to be a points deduction – if found guilty. We are looking at a points deduction somewhere in the region of 60 to 100 points.”

City are still in the hunt for a top-four finish this season, while remaining in contention for Champions League and FA Cup honours, but a hefty points deduction would see them tumble down the Premier League table. The Blues have maintained their innocence throughout and are expected to appeal any punishments.