The potential violation of Premier League Rule 115 by Manchester City could have significant implications, including the possibility of Arsenal winning the league title while Man City faces a 12-point deduction. Last season, when Arsenal faced Manchester City for the championship, their supporters were frustrated, knowing that these disputes would not be resolved until the current season. Arsenal fans were concerned about the 115 alleged rule violations attributed to their title rivals.
However, Arsenal’s situation could be even more precarious as Everton has also come under scrutiny from the Premier League for allegedly breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Everton could face a record 12-point deduction if found guilty. This development has brought Manchester City and their ongoing issues with the Premier League into the public eye, as the investigation into their alleged violations has been ongoing since being made public earlier this year.
The relatively quiet nature of this issue is due to the numerous complaints against City, leading to a lengthy and potentially protracted investigation that may take years to conclude, temporarily easing Arsenal supporters’ concerns.
Former Liverpool defender James Carragher humorously compared the potential punishment for Everton to what Manchester City could face on social media, highlighting the stark contrast in proposed penalties. Carragher quipped that “Man City will end up in the National League North if the Premier League gets its way.” However, the truth is that the Commission is conducting the investigation in secret and under strict confidentiality, making it unlikely that information about the resolution timeline will become available until the process is completed.
The uncertainty surrounding the situation’s resolution is a cause for concern, as it is plausible to argue that a potential point deduction for Manchester City, especially one greater than what Everton is currently facing, might not be sufficient to make up for the alleged harm done. Arsenal, like many other clubs in the past decade, could claim that they would have won the title had it not been for City’s alleged infractions.
In the modern world, if it becomes apparent that City benefited from the alleged violations, a point penalty, in addition to other potential penalties, might be considered a just punishment. It is clear that if this advantage was confirmed, it could have persisted for several seasons. Even Pep Guardiola acknowledges the importance of reaching a resolution “as soon as possible” to put an end to the matter. Arsenal naturally desires to win, but the exact outcome remains unknown at this point.
