Man City charges LIVE: Premier League 'enlist' key ally as four punishments emerge

· Mirror

The latest Manchester City news and updates as the ongoing financial charges case continues to hang over the club

Hello and welcome to the Mirror's live blog covering the latest developments in Manchester City's financial charges case on Sunday, October 25.

City are accused of breaching financial regulations between 2009 and 2018 as part of an alleged £830million scheme to artificially inflate commercial sponsorship deals. The club have consistently denied any wrongdoing and continue to challenge the allegations through the appeals process.

Speculation continues over the potential punishment City could face, with fresh concerns emerging over the possibility of Enzo Maresca's side lifting the Premier League trophy in May despite the ongoing case.

According to The i Paper, the 'worst-case scenario' of City being crowned champions even if found guilty of all the most serious financial breaches 'cannot be ruled out'.

Meanwhile, the Premier League are reportedly strengthening their legal team amid the ongoing battle with City over the club's financial charges.

On the pitch, City suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season after falling to a 2-1 loss against Aston Villa at Villa Park. The result has allowed Arsenal to draw level with City, with both sides now sitting on 21 points.

Stay with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest news, reaction and developments surrounding City's financial charges case.

Man City punishment fear as furious Premier League clubs might not get their way

Premier League clubs are concerned Manchester City's appeal will stretch beyond this season.

The scale of the punishment is unknown, with a significant, relegation-guaranteeing points deduction being a possibility, as well as a significant fine. There has also been talk of titles being stripped, but nothing has been announced.

However, Premier League clubs are concerned the club will not be punished this season. There is also a lingering worry City may appeal any punishment and kick the matter into the long grass, stretching out the saga beyond this year and the next.

> According to The Telegraph, a source said: "The talk among clubs is that nobody can see it getting sorted out this season. That’s a massive problem because nobody is sure what they are playing for and whether or not the final positions will stand.”

Furthermore, an appeal hearing date is yet to be set, with a panel still being appointed to scrutinise the evidence. Premier League rules state the appeal commission has to return a decision within 12 weeks, but this rule was not in place when the charges were set.

This is something City may look to challenge, further drawing out the saga. The appeal panel has the power to scrutinise the commission's decision, the evidence, documents and transcripts from witnesses. It would be unusual for witnesses to be re-examined again, which differentiates the process from a full re-hearing.

The appeal commission has the power to overturn some or all of the findings and refer matters for more reconsideration. They can also uphold all of the findings or even refer the matter to a new commission for a retrial.

If the appeal does not bear fruit for City, they may even be willing to take their case past sporting regulatory bodies.

> Another source added: "City don’t appear to accept any guilt. Logically, you would think that having been found guilty on so many charges, they would look for some sort of settlement. But that doesn’t seem possible at the moment. Everybody is just waiting for the punishment and that is no good for the league or the clubs."

Premier League clubs learn individual cost of independent regulator after fees double

Clubs have been told the cost of the Independent Football Regulator has doubled. The regulator set out the reasons why the annual running costs figure has gone up to £20m which is twice the figure originally estimated by the Government.

They will employ around 100 staff with the cost being met by a new levy on clubs with Premier League clubs shouldering most of the burden.

It comes just a week after the IFR published its State of the Game report which revealed the huge financial issues facing English football which has an annual revenue of £9billion. They say the cost of the regulator will only represent 0.1 per cent of revenues for some clubs with the highest-earning Premier league clubs having to contribute £1.8m-a-season.

The highest-earning Premier League clubs, which play in Europe or generate more than £150m in commercial income, will be expected to contribute up to £1.8m a season, with the majority of top-flight clubs paying £600,000 a season. Championship clubs not in receipt of parachute payments would pay around £45,000 per season.

> The IFR chief executive, Richard Monks, said: “The announcement of the levy is another big moment for the IFR. Over the last year we have been busy laying the ground for the world’s first independent football regulator.“We have already started to deliver real change in football – whether that’s through the stringent suitability checks we are running on owners and directors or through the State of the Game report which shone a light on how the football industry needs to change.“The levy we are proposing today represents a fair and balanced approach and will ensure that most clubs pay around 0.1% of their annual revenues.“We are confident football will see this is a relatively modest investment to help achieve a more sustainable ecosystem which will provide peace of mind for fans, clubs and the communities they serve.”

The total set-up costs for the regulator have run to £45m with the bulk being recovered over time from the clubs via the levy.

Premier League enlist Government's 'first-choice' barrister

The Premier League has reportedly strengthened its legal team amid its ongoing financial charges battle with Manchester City.

According to The Lawyer, leading law firm Slaughter and May and prominent barrister Sir James Eadie KC have been brought in to work alongside Bird & Bird as the league continues its case against the reigning champions.

Both Eadie and Slaughter and May are understood to have been advising the Premier League for several months, highlighting the significance of the proceedings and the resources being committed to the legal dispute.

The development also sets up an intriguing battle between two of Britain's most experienced legal figures. Eadie has appeared in more UK Supreme Court cases than any other advocate over the past decade, with Lord Pannick KC, who represents City, close behind.

Eadie also holds the prestigious position of 'Treasury Devil', the title given to the UK government's leading civil barrister. The historic role involves representing the Crown in some of the country's most significant legal disputes.

His reported involvement underlines the high-profile nature of the Premier League's case against City, who continue to deny the allegations against them.

Man City facing four punishments

Man City could face one of four major punishments if they are found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial regulations, with sanctions potentially ranging from a hefty fine to expulsion from the top flight.

- The first possibility is a substantial financial penalty, which could see City ordered to pay millions of pounds. Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown is among those to have suggested that a significant fine could be imposed, although critics believe such a punishment would fail to reflect the seriousness of the alleged offences.

While a financial sanction would hit the club's finances, it would have no direct impact on their results or league position. Some argue that this would do little to address any competitive advantage City may have gained over their rivals.

- A second potential punishment is a significant points deduction, which could have major consequences for City's Premier League status. There has even been speculation that a sufficiently large deduction could effectively condemn the club to relegation to the Championship.

The possibility of deductions across multiple seasons has also been raised, potentially leaving City facing an extended spell outside the top flight. Such a scenario could have serious implications for the club's playing squad and long-term ambitions.

- Another option would be to strip City of Premier League titles won during the period under investigation. Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has previously discussed the prospect of removing titles from the club's record without necessarily handing them to the teams who finished second.

- The fourth and arguably most severe potential sanction would be expulsion from the Premier League altogether. This would see City removed from the competition, with their future place in the English football pyramid potentially becoming a major issue.

However, no punishment has been confirmed, and the outcome remains uncertain. City have consistently denied wrongdoing and continue to contest the allegations against them.

Good morning!

Welcome to our dedicated Manchester City live blog.

Thanks for tuning in. We will bring you the latest news surrounding the club's ongoing financial charges case.

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