Why the Premier League Cannot Punish Man City Right Now

· GiveMeSport

Why the Premier League cannot accelerate punishment for Man City despite Liverpool 'farce’.

It was a rather strange affair as Manchester City picked up a 3-0 win away at Liverpool. In normal circumstances, the away team's display would be hailed as a potentially title-defining moment, but these are not normal circumstances.

This was the first game City have played since being found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. While the club have appealed the decision, many expect the sanctions to be significant.

It's likely that the Etihad outfit are hit with a major points deduction or even relegated. As such, many have been left wondering what their 3-0 win at Anfield really means for the 2026/27 Premier League season.

Chief Football Writer for the Mirror, John Cross, for example, summed up the mood for many as he commented after the game:

> "[The] Premier League has become a farce amid this uncertainty… Man City results feel meaningless in the meantime."

Gerrard never won the league but came close in 2013/14, when Liverpool finished second behind Man City by just two points.

With the situation so strange as all football fans await to find out the sanctions Man City face if their appeal is unsuccessful, many will look to the Premier League and urge them to accelerate the decision-making process.

That sentiment was shown by Liverpool MP Ian Byrne, who stated on Monday morning (12 October):

> "The Premier League stands on the precipice. It must stop pretending this is just another day at the office and take urgent action now before it loses all credibility and the game we love is damaged beyond any hope of repair."

However, Byrne is misguided when targeting his frustration at the Premier League, as they do not have complete power when it comes to what the sanctions are and when they will be handed out.

Indeed, this responsibility lies in the hands of an independent commission. The Premier League can put forward what they think the punishment should be, but this is only a suggestion. It's then up to the commission to then go away and decide what the punishment should be.

Replying to Byrne, journalist James Benge explained:

> "Not denying the sense of farce to yesterday’s games but there is nothing the Premier League can do now beyond emphasise the value of a swift process in making its case to independent panels. Nor should it, it’s critical this process is watertight."

Man City have appealed to the initial verdict and Premier League regulations state that this process must be concluded within 12 weeks. From 1 October, that would take us to around Christmas, although the process may not need the full 12 weeks to complete.

The panel must then deliver its verdict within 30 days of the final day of the appeal hearing. As such, fans can expect news between January and March, though it could also go to arbitration. There is no official time frame for sanctions, but one would expect that they also come in this period.

Although the Premier League cannot directly choose when the punishment is handed out, it does seem quite likely that they will be doing all they can to make sure action is taken by the independent panel as quickly as possible.

In light of the Man City win at Liverpool, reports suggest that some executives were even wondering if the Premier League clubs could come together and vote Man City out of the league. One reportedly argued:

> "This is a farce that will lead to protest, damage to the integrity and reputation of the competition, and possibly even violence. The board has a duty at law to its shareholders to protect, enhance and promote the interests of the Premier League."

In theory, as per Rule B6, 15 clubs could vote to expel the Etihad side immediately. However, the prospect of a vote is viewed as having virtually no chance of happening – not least because City would simply take to the High Court and win. Not only would they then be reinstated, but after the whole process added even more chaos to an already messy situation.

As such, the Premier League will simply have to wait until the independent commission reaches a final verdict over the coming months.

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