Manchester City

Dan Roan
Sports editor

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Manchester City deny wrongdoing and insist they are innocent of all of these charges - but being found guilty on the most serious ones would mean they could be looking at a points dedication serious enough to relegate them, or even perhaps expulsion from the Premier League.

Such a fate would stain their many achievements in recent years and would lead to great uncertainty over the future of the players. It may even spark compensation claims from rival clubs.

Equally, there would be questions asked of the Premier League if it loses and City prevail.

It has already cost tens of millions of pounds from both sides in legal fees. Amid various other regulatory issues, this is the case the Premier League will feel it simply has to win.

Clive Myrie tells the football story of the century: the Premier League vs Manchester City.

Listen to episode one below or to the whole series on BBC Sounds here

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

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Is the biggest cloud that has been lingering over Manchester City and the Premier League for over three years about to clear?

Well, not quite.

City say in a statement that the "process remains ongoing" but it is understood in the event of a defeat in the case, City will appeal against the findings.

We don't know how long this process would take.

In terms of sanctions, Everton and Nottingham Forest have been docked points in the past for breaching financial rules - would City receive a similar punishment?

Or could it be more severe, such as being stripped of some of the league titles they have won or even relegation to the Football League?

There are plenty of questions that will come up and this may drag on for a while yet.

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Manchester City fan David Mooney from the Blue Moon podcast has been speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's really strange. We just don't know anything at the moment about where this is going to go.

"On the one hand you've got this great enjoyment from the team you have supported all your life winning unprecedented success and playing football like we've never seen before, but having in the back of your mind that everybody thinks we have cheated to do this and everybody thinks this is illegitimate and that it hasn't been fairly achieved."

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In February 2023, Manchester City were charged with more than 100 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules following a four-year investigation.

The charges relate to a period between 2009 and 2018.

The Premier League claimed Manchester City had breached rules requiring the club to provide "accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club's financial position".

The club were referred to an independent commission and a 10-week behind-closed-doors hearing began in September 2024.

Manchester City strongly denied all of the charges and said their case was supported by a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence".

Here's a timeline of the events leading up to the verdict:

• November 2018: Football Leaks allegations emerge with German newspaper Der Spiegel publishing claims Manchester City breached FFP rules

• March 2019: Uefa launches a formal investigation off the back of Der Spiegel's findings

• May 2019: Manchester City criticise the investigation and launch an appeal process

• November 2019: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) deems the appeal inadmissible

• February 2020: Uefa announces a two-year ban for Manchester City from European competitions and a 30m euro fine for the club

• July 2020: The European ban is overturned after a Cas appeal

• July 2021: Manchester City lose a jurisdiction ruling which allows the media to report that the Premier League is continuing to investigate the club for alleged financial breaches

• April 2022: Der Spiegel publishes a fresh report claiming the Premier League has been investigating the club for three years, providing detailed claims

• February 2023: The Premier League charges Manchester City with 115 financial breaches

• September 2024: The start of a 10-week hearing between the Premier League and Manchester City on all of the charges

• February 2025: Then manager Pep Guardiola said the club expected to learn the verdict "within one month"

• By the end of 2025: Verdict expected

• September 2026: Sources tell BBC Sport that Manchester City have been found guilty of breaking the majority of the 115 financial rules they were accused of breaching.

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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Manchester City have been found guilty of breaking the majority of the 115 financial rules they were accused of breaching, sources have told BBC Sport.

The Athletic is reporting that the sanctions have not been decided but that the independent panel has reached its decision, finding them guilty of all but one count.

Sources have told BBC Sport a decision has been made in the case, and City have been found guilty of the majority of breaches.

Other Premier League clubs are believed to have been informed about the decision.

The Premier League declined to comment.

Asked if the report was correct, Manchester City did not comment either way.

Instead, the club released a statement saying that the "Premier League process remains ongoing with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality".

"The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence," it added.

BBC Sport has also been told that, in the event of a defeat, Manchester City will appeal against the findings.

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We asked you how life under Enzo Maresca compares to Pep Guardiolaand what, if anything, would you like to see the Italian do differently as Manchester City's season goes on.

Here are some of your comments:

Martyn: It has been a fantastic start. What has been particularly encouraging so far has been the number of academy players who have made appearances alongside the new signings.

John: We had a similar start in Pep's first season and that didn't end fantastically, did it? So, I'm still cautious, but I read your article about the 650,000 players on the database and agree we are not far off, but we should get better in the next couple of seasons. On the plus side, I am really enjoying watching this team, especially Rayan Cherki.

Robin: It's great to have won every game so far. It's a work in process. The attacking potential is great but very delicate at the back, especially to a counter-attack. But overall, the team has great potential.

Mark: We are excellent going forward, but my heart skips a beat when we are defending, which is more worrying as we have experienced defenders. It is early doors, but we need to tighten up and then a good shot at the title will look on.

Liam: Nice to see a bit of resilience, first in the derby against Manchester United to grind out a result and then to stay calm when Sunderland scored quick equalisers at the weekend. It's a work in progress but the signings we made in the summer coupled with those from January have got us looking rejuvenated.

Derek: Well, it's early days, isn't it? We've got plenty of things to work on when everyone is back from playing the nonsense of a competition. The season has only just started but away they all go. Hopefully no injuries. Maresca is saying all the right things at the moment, but we have got to keep moving forward. Using the academy players is important too.

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Inside the confines of Manchester City's sophisticated data operation is a fundamental phrase its experts work towards: "What does it take to win?"

City's devotion to data is at the heart of their efforts to close the gap on Arsenal and BBC Sport has been given unprecedent access to the inner workings of the club's metrics machine as we uncover some of the secrets guiding their work - particularly regarding player recruitment and sales.

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The starting point for any new signing is City's database of 650,000 footballers from around the world.

The next step is the brief: what sort of player is the club wanting to recruit.

Once the club's data departments have the brief, filters that grade a player's overall ability are applied to whittle down the 650,000-man database to 20-50 names.

The longlist of 20-50 names is cross-referenced with the scouting longlist. Generally there is a significant overlap between the players identified by data and the ones already on scouts' radar.

From there, further, more refined metrics are applied to rank and prioritise the longlist.

Scouts will then complete further diligence on the players to reduce the list to a maximum of about six players.

At this point, the club will complete deeper dives into the remaining players, including diligence on their injury record, athletic performance and behavioural habits.

The information is then collated into individual reports called acquisition packs which contain all the key metrics used to inform the decision on a player.

This includes a 'radar chart', which rates a range of specific on-field metrics.

Perhaps the most intriguing reading on the acquisition packs is a player's "action value score". This positions them in a league table that includes City players and ones from rival clubs who play in a similar role.

Once the acquisition reports are evaluated, the list is further reduced to 2-3 players once City's valuation of the player has been factored in.

Data contributes heavily to the price range City believe a player falls in, and the valuation is never a single number.

A decision is then made on which player is the priority, though all players on the shortlist are worked on simultaneously in the event of changing circumstances, for example if a player becomes unavailable.

Indeed, being able to move according to the market is something the data team feel they have become adept at.

Read more here on how the data led to the signing of Anderson

As the first games of this extended international break begin, there is no better time to discuss the start of the 2026-27 season and Manchester City's start to life in the post-Pep Guardiola era.

It has been flawless in terms of results for his successor Enzo Maresca thus far, but he will know that tougher tests await both in Europe and at home.

So what questions do you have about City? They could be on the squad, injury concerns, summer signings, Maresca's tactics, the club's hierarchy or a topic of your choice.

Our Manchester City reporter Shamoon Hafez will be on hand to answer a selection next week.

Get in touch with your question here

Chelsea are one of four Premier League clubs keeping a close eye on Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov. (Caught Offside), external

England midfielder Jude Bellingham, 23, will extend his contract at Real Madrid and is not interested in a move to Manchester City. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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As we enter the season's first international break, we want to hear your thoughts on the opening five games of the Premier League.

Manchester City have enjoyed a perfect start to life under Enzo Maresca, winning five out of his first five league matches and they will spend the three-week break at the top of the table - three points clear of last season's champions Arsenal.

However, conceding three to Brian Brobbey in Sunday's chaotic 5-3 win over Sunderland showed improvements can be made.

How does life under Maresca compare to under Pep Guardiola? What, if anything, would you like to see him do differently as the season goes on?

Get in touch with your views here

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

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The Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel has supported Phil Foden's red card in the Manchester derby - but on a split 3:2 vote.

The Manchester City midfielder was shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver in the 23rd minute for kicking out at Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.

Two panellists "felt that the action lacked the force to reach the threshold for a red card, and would have preferred a yellow".

The KMI panel unanimously supported no video assistant referee (VAR) intervention.

Fernandes - who initially appeared to kick Foden, leading to retaliation - escaped with no disciplinary action.

The decision not to show the Portugal midfielder a red card was backed by a 5:0 vote, both on-field and through VAR.

All KMI panel members "felt that a yellow card would have been the appropriate punishment".

City won the game 1-0 through a controversial Erling Haaland goal in the 60th minute, which was awarded after a VAR intervention.

Haaland was given offside by the assistant referee's flag, with VAR Matt Donohue finding that the Norway forward was actually onside.

However, referees' chief Howard Webb admitted that the VAR did not even consider whether Enzo Fernandez was offside when he attempted to head the ball just before Haaland scored.

The KMI panel unanimously felt that the VAR intervention to award the goal was incorrect.

"Fernandez is in an offside position, attempts to play the ball that is close to him, and impacts the ability of the defender and the goalkeeper to play the ball in the process," the panel noted.

"A VAR review should have been recommended for a missed subjective offside in the attacking possession phase."

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Former Manchester City captain Paul Lake believes Erling Haaland is "right up there" as the best signing in the history of the club.

The 26-year-old - who completed a £51.2m transfer to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in June 2022 - has scored 169 goals in 209 games during his time at Etihad Stadium.

The Norway forward has also committed his long-term future to the club, having penned a new contract in January 2025 which is due to expire in 2034.

"When you think about players of the past, some will refer to the likes of Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee or Francis Lee from back in the day, but others will go right the way through to the present times of Sergio Aguero.

"But Erling Haaland is certainly a player who has become so reliable and so consistent as time has progressed.

"When he first came to Manchester City, he bigged himself up to a point and he just seemed to get it from the off. He got the fans, he had that humility and he possessed that tenacity.

"It's quite a daunting thing to experience opposition players thinking: 'We're up against this guy' every single game, but that just shows how much of a threat he is in terms of pace, power and intelligence.

"If you give him a chance, the likelihood is that he scores - despite often playing off scraps.

"The way he speaks about the club and his team-mates shows he isn't negative or overly critical. Everyone knows that when he turns up, he is 100%.

"He talks about scoring goals being his 'job' but to do it in this day and age, while playing against world-class opposition, is something to behold."

Listen to the full discussion below or listen on BBC Sounds

Manchester City are interested in 20-year-old Feyenoord right-back Givairo Read, with Liverpool and Arsenal also keen on the Netherlands Under-21 international. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Manchester City and Sunderland

Here are some of your comments:

Man City fans

Youssef: We fought, we battled, we won. What a perfect performance by the lads and what a magnificent way to capitalise on Arsenal's loss yesterday and secure ourselves at the top of the table.

Owain: Brilliant going forward but suspect at the back. Sunderland were a credit and gave us a real test. Brian Brobbey will be a very good player in the near future. Thought we were pressurised and our passes went astray too often. We now have three good wide options. I like Enzo Fernandez, and I hope the Semenyo-distracted will leave him alone. Looked very impressive and deserved his player of the match.

Robert: Absolute credit to Sunderland who came to the Etihad to play football and not put 10-men behind the ball. They made this game what it was, very entertaining and worth watching.

Phil: Didn't want to sign Enzo, but what a player. Him and Elliott Anderson were outstanding.

Sunderland fans

Stuart: Although our defending was poor, the way we went toe-to-toe with City and caused them so many problems makes me proud. I think a lot of neutrals will enjoy watching Sunderland this season.

Mason: A swashbuckling approach that took City by surprise. Individual defensive errors cost Sunderland but overall it was a performance which showed they could go toe-to-toe with the best. Cut out those mistakes and it will soon click.

Mark: Another incredibly spirited display - my goodness, this team has character. The results will come.

David: Can't believe Sunderland have only four points - not many teams will come to the Etihad and score three! They have got the verve, commitment and fire-power to have a really good season. Keep trying, Mackems!