Premier League managers on Man City's 115 charges - 'One rule for one and one for the other'

Manchester City and the Premier League will go head-to-head for their alleged 115 charges for breaching the financial rules on Monday after months of waiting.

The independent hearing is expected to last close to two months although the verdict isn't expected to be made public until spring 2025, at the earliest. The English champions have been accused of financial mismanagement spanning nine years from 2009 to 2018.

Clubs in the Premier League will all be keen to learn the club's fate. Punishment as extreme as relegation and titles taken away from the honours list. Here, the Manchester Evening News brings you what managers in the Premier League have said on City's ongoing battle.

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Pep Guardiola

Before the win over Brentford, comments from La Liga president Javier Tebas surfaced of him discussing City's charges. "I have spoken with many Premier League clubs and most of them understand that City should be sanctioned," he told Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.

Guardiola responded on Friday, saying: "For the first time I agree with Tebas. All the Premier League teams want us to be sanctioned, that is for sure. But that's why I say to Mr Tebas and the Premier League teams, wait for the independent panel.

"Justice is there in a modern democracy. It's not more complicated than that. I don't know if he is a lawyer or the rest of the Premier League teams are lawyers, so I ask for that. It happened with Uefa.

"We believe we have not done anything wrong.”

Guardiola continued in his pre-match press conference: "We’re going to wait and see. I don't talk about it. I’m happy it starts on Monday and I know there will be more rumours about the sentences that come up and we’re going to see.

"I know what people are looking for, I know what they are expecting - I know it because I have read it for many years. But I’ve said everyone is innocent until guilt is proven. So we will see."

The City boss has also discussed his future if the club are found guilty. Speaking in November, he said: "At the moment we are innocent until it is proved we are guilty," Guardiola said last year when asked about the club's charges. "I know the people want it. I know, I feel it. I will wait. Wait and see it and after the sentence has been done we will come here and explain it.

"But absolutely I will not consider my future (if) it depends being here or being in League One. Absolutely. There is more chance to stay if we are in League One than if we were in the Champions League."

And finally, when quizzed on City's alleged breaches compared to Everton, who were docked 10 points, he added: "[People say] 'Why Everton's been punished for 10 points deduction, why is Man City in there?' It's two different cases," he said. "It's not the same. Honestly. I spoke with my people [they] said it is completely different.

"Okay, the other one is longer because it is more complicated because it's 115 breaches. So wait. Then after when the lawyers from both sides present their cases in front of the judge and there is a verdict you can ask me the question."

Jurgen Klopp

The former Liverpool boss previously said he would celebrate with a bus parade if Liverpool were awarded the two Premier League titles they lost to Man City.

“There could be a court decision that means you’ve won the Premier League three times…” Klopp interrupted: “If you organise a bus parade, I’m in! How long it takes I don’t care.”

Before he left Anfield, Klopp gave his thoughts on City's legal battles. "Everybody knows about the 115 charges, but I have no clue what that means. I only know the number," he said.

"No matter what has transpired at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world - and that is truly significant. If you put any other manager in that club, they don't win the league four times in a row. That's down to him and his team.

"Does that mean they can do whatever they want? No. But I don't know what they did - if they did anything - and I'm not here to say they have. We will see. Of course, I would like to know (if City are guilty) one day. Everyone wants to know. But I will be somewhere else.

"The quality of Pep makes the difference so I don't worry about these things. We will see. It's not my problem and I am fine with what we have and what we've achieved."

Mikel Arteta

Former City assistant manager Mikel Arteta has often been quizzed on City's charges. The Arsenal boss has been denied two Premier League titles by Guardiola so the outcome of the hearing is somewhat relevant to the Gunners.

In May, Arteta said: "That's something for the authorities to manage, it's not for us. If they are playing, it means they can play and they are entitled to play, and that's it."

Previously, Arteta claimed that he didn't see anything untoward during his time at the Etihad Stadium. "I'm not going to make any comment on that, I'm sorry," he said in February 2023.

Sean Dyche

Everton lost 10 points last season due to their own financial problems. In February, before City faced the Toffees, Dyche questioned why his team were being punished but the Citizens weren't.

“Just like everyone else, we are all wondering what makes one rule for one and one rule for the other. I think that’s the only thing,” said Dyche.

“I don’t know the ins and outs for every reason, but I think we are all asking that. The people in the street are asking: ‘Why is it particularly Everton?’

“I don’t know what the exact number is, but they reference over 100 charges [for City]. I don’t know the implications of that either. I don’t know the details of the charges but you go: ‘Well, we have one.’

“You just go with common sense, I’m not talking about the rules. I’m not questioning Man City or whether they’ve done stuff or not done stuff. The point is it is certainly a long time. That story has been going round for a while now about all these charges. I don’t know the variants of what the charges are.”

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Eddie Howe

Another manager who has been a victim to the Premier League financial rules is Eddie Howe. Newcastle were unable to strengthen their squad as much as they needed in the summer due to PSR.

“I’ve always said that Financial Fair Play is real for us," he said in February. “I’m not there doing the figures and the numbers and I don’t quite understand how it fully works. I’m obviously led by the people above me at the club to say what we can and can’t do.

“But certainly it’s been there and I think it will continue to be there for us unless we can dramatically change our revenue streams.”

On City, he added: “The conditions we face mean we have to. Hopefully it does give a greater understanding of our methods and what we are trying to do and me in press conferences trying to explain it.

“It’s very difficult to explain it unless you’ve got all the numbers sitting in front of you. I can’t fully give you the explanation, but the way we have reacted in the transfer market, hopefully it makes sense.”

Unai Emery

Surprisingly, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery came to City's defence, in a way. Last season, he said it would be 'better for everybody' if they were found not guilty to have breached financial rules.

Speaking after they were charged with allegedly breaching the rules, he said: "It's not my business but of course I am involved in the football world," Emery told the media on Friday. "I always believe with the teams I have worked with to accomplish to be respectful with rules. I don't know exactly but of course you have to believe and trust.

"You have to work in everything that is in your hands and [regarding] the issues in other teams, I don't know. Hopefully everything is going well because I think it is better for everybody.

“I think they [City] are going to be together and try and respond on the pitch. It is going to be very difficult, it’s a big challenge for us.”