Man City 115 charges could make Premier League pay millions as Liverpool await verdict

Everton, Liverpool and every other English top-flight club could lose significant funding once the Premier League's dispute with Manchester City concludes, it has been claimed. In February 2023, the English top flight charged its champions with 115 alleged breaches of financial regulations.

These include accusations that the club failed to provide accurate financial information and failed to cooperate with investigations spanning nine seasons (2009/10 to 2017/18). Manchester City strongly deny any wrongdoing and the case shall be heard, in private, later this month.

With the hearing just around the corner, it has been speculated how much the legal resources, from start to finish, could cost. According to The Telegraph, the Premier League was awarded £1.7m in costs after successfully prosecuting Everton for breaching its profit and sustainability rules (PSR) last year.

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Sean Dyche's side were hit with a 10-point deduction, which was later reduced to six on appeal in February. The report states that the legal resources in the case were equivalent to around five months' worth of 24-hour days.

The Telegraph notes that the Manchester City case has taken far longer for the Premier League to manage following the club's pushback. For context, during the Everton case, the Premier League spent £26,638 per document while the Merseyside outfit spent just £515.

The Premier League also paid an hourly rate of £940 to partners from its external legal firm, Linklaters, which was nearly twice as much as what Everton paid to its equivalent (£550). Following the hearing, the English top-flight and Manchester City are expected to be hit with a huge bill – win or lose.

The Telegraph adds that the Premier League's 20 shareholders will cover the legal costs, but the final fee will be deducted from broadcast and commercial funding distributed to its clubs. Therefore, Liverpool and Everton could lose out on a lot of money.

Speaking to The Times in May, Richard Masters provided an update on the hearing. The Premier League CEO said: "All we have said is that a date has been set for the hearing. We haven't said when that is. Our rulebook requires these commissions to be held in private, and everything to be confidential."

Then, in an interview with the Evening Standard, Dan Chapman, head of employment and sports at Leathes Prior, claimed no punishment should be ruled out – from fines to relegation from the Premier League. He said: "Considerable uncertainty remains on the current status of the Premier League proceedings against Manchester City.

"It would appear that these charges are far more serious, if they are proven, than the charges which Everton and Nottingham Forest recently admitted. Those clubs were charged with a breach of spending rules that they admitted.

"This case is entirely different, 115 charges which relate, it would appear, to serious impropriety which Manchester City robustly deny. The number and complexity of the charges will present huge challenges to all involved and it is not unlikely that the hearing could be delayed in full or in part.

"The independent commission that will hear the case will have almost limitless powers, and sanctions could range from fines to points deductions to expulsion from the Premier League. Manchester City will of course be aiming to be cleared of all charges, and nothing should be ruled out in this quite extraordinary case."