Premier League told they 'cannot relegate' Man City as Liverpool get new charges twist

Premier League told they 'cannot relegate' Man City as Liverpool get new charges twist

Liverpool news as the wait goes on to determine Manchester City's punishment for 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules

Manchester City 'cannot' be relegated from the Premier League, a financial expert has confirmed (Image: Offside via Getty Images )

Manchester City cannot be relegated from the Premier League if they are found guilty of their 115 alleged breaches of financial rules, an expert has said.

City and the Premier League laid their cases to an independent tribunal at the end of 2024 following months of build-up. A verdict is expected at some point this year, with both sides having the option to appeal.

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The case has been hanging over the club for the last two years. City have denied the financial charges levelled against them, but if found guilty, could be hit with severe punishments.

However, Kieran Maguire has insisted that the Premier League will struggle to relegate the English champions if they are found guilty, but could impose a points deduction that would make relegation to the Championship inevitable in a major claim as Liverpool and other clubs await an outcome to the case.

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Speaking to the Overlap Fan Debate, Maguire explained the Premier League are unlikely to be able to relegate City because the English Football League have no obligation to accept them. "In the case of City, there's actually three charges," he said.

"It's not 115. Has money come in from the owners which they pretend to be from sponsors? If that is the case, then that is fraud. That is about as serious as it gets.

"And, if found guilty of those charges, then the book will be thrown at Manchester City and it's going to be a massive points deduction.

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"You can't relegate [expel] them because the Premier League and the EFL are independent bodies, so the EFL doesn't have to accept them. Given the Everton and the Nottingham Forest points deductions, they were both described by the commission of being 'minor breaches'.

"Well, what Manchester City are being accused of is major breaches over a nine to ten year period. So, you would be looking at somewhere between 60 and 100 points if you go through on a charge by charge basis. So, it would relegate them."

Maguire also revealed how the verdict is unlikely to be overturned, placing doubts over how successful an appeal would be. He said: "I think there are very narrow grounds for appeal. It's only if the conduct of the committee itself was unprofessional in some way that one of the parties can potentially make an appeal.

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"If Manchester City are found guilty then the whole board of directors has to resign because they will have been found guilty of misrepresentation, effectively lying to a commission."

Liverpool are currently 12 points ahead of City with a game in hand as Arne Slot's side aim to end the Manchester club's four-season grapple on the title.

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