Piers Morgan weighs in on Man City's charge for breaching financial rules

Piers Morgan has suggested Manchester City should receive an ‘immediate points deduction’ for being charged with breaching financial rules.

The Premier League champions were charged on Monday with breaching the division’s financial rules more than 100 times regarding sponsors and contracts over nine seasons.

If Man City are found guilty, they face a range of possible punishments – including a points deduction and expulsion – much to the delight of Arsenal fan Morgan.

In response to a Tweet listing the many rules the City violated, Morgan wrote: ‘It’s a shame. Instant deduction of points!’.

If a point deduction – similar to that of Juventus in Italy – is awarded to City, it will likely mean that Morgan’s Arsenal will win the Premier League title.

Arsenal fan and pundit Piers Morgan calls for Man City to suffer points deduction

Manchester City has been charged by the Premier League for breaches of financial rules

As it stands, Arsenal are five points clear of their closing challengers and have a game in hand on Pep Guardiola’s side – meaning they can take an eight-point lead.

A similar situation occurred at Juventus this year after an Italian court investigated the club over past transfer transactions.

As a result, Juventus were given a 15-point deduction which derailed their Serie A title challenge and left them currently sitting 13th in the table.

The football court also ruled that former Juventus president Andrea Agnelli was banned from holding office in Italian football for 24 months.

It also decided on a 30-month ban for Juventus’ former sporting director, Fabio Paratici, who is now in charge of director of football at Premier League club Tottenham.

Morgan is not the only fan on social media to call for the points deduction to be implemented, after some users called for reform in previous league seasons.

Fans online have claimed that Manchester United and Liverpool should be awarded additional Premier League titles after Manchester City were charged with breaching financial rules.

Meanwhile, Manchester City fan Liam Gallagher says Manchester United and Chelsea should have their finances ‘investigated’.

Pep Guardiola’s side could find themselves potentially relegated from the Premier League

A drop of points would likely see Morgan’s Arsenal team win the Premier League title

Regarding City’s violation of financial rules, a statement from the league said the alleged violations were committed from September 2009 through the 2017-18 season and will now be referred to an independent commission.

It added that the club had allegedly breached league rules which require the provision ‘in the utmost good faith’ of ‘accurate financial information which gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position’.

The Premier League said in a statement: ‘In accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today referred certain alleged breaches of Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club to a Commission.’

The city has strongly denied any violations of financial rules. The investigation began in December 2018 after German investigative website Der Spiegel published documents from Football Leaks, which came from Portuguese computer hacker Rui Pinto, who implicated City.

It is alleged that City overstated sponsorship income with money paid from club owners rather than Abu Dhabi-linked sponsors.

Roberto Mancini’s wages are said to have been doubled through a secret contract with an Abu Dhabi club when he was at Man City, while they allegedly broke rules on approaching young players.

In a statement, City said: ‘Manchester City FC is surprised by the release of these alleged breaches of Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and extensive detailed material provided by the EPL.

‘The Club welcomes a review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of incontrovertible evidence that exists in support of its position.

‘Therefore, we hope to put this matter to rest once and for all.’

The reigning champions insist they want to put the matter ‘to rest once and for all’