It's time for Gerrard to smile: Manchester City threatened with the loss of nine titles
United, the biggest beneficiary
Manchester City could be stripped of nine major titles won between 2009 and 2018, if the proceedings in their case before the Premier League conclude with the withdrawal of the trophies as part of the final sanctions, after the club was found guilty on 114 of 115 financial charges, according to The Athletic.
The charges cover nine seasons of alleged breaches, including the provision of inaccurate financial information, rules on player and manager wages, and the competition's financial regulations.
City deny the accusations and are expected to appeal. The nature of any sanctions has yet to be determined.
Should the punishment include the withdrawal of titles, the affected trophies would include three Premier League titles in 2012, 2014 and 2018, the FA Cup in 2011, three League Cup titles in 2014, 2016 and 2018, plus the FA Community Shields of 2012 and 2018.
In the league, Manchester United would be the most prominent beneficiaries of the 2012 title being recalculated, having finished the season in second place on goal difference behind City. The 2018 edition could also pass to United after José Mourinho's side finished runners-up behind Pep Guardiola's team.
Mourinho touched on this possibility sarcastically before United's meeting with Fenerbahçe in October 2024, pointing to the prospect of City being punished with a points deduction. Such an outcome could hand him the league title and the associated bonus, believed to be worth around four million pounds sterling.
The 2014 title, meanwhile, could pass to Liverpool, who finished second behind Manuel Pellegrini's side. That would give Steven Gerrard a retrospective league crown he failed to win during his career with the club.
In the FA Cup, the 2011 edition could go to Stoke City, who lost the final to City by a single unanswered goal. The three League Cup titles could pass to Sunderland, Liverpool and Arsenal, after the three clubs lost to City in the finals of 2014, 2016 and 2018 respectively.
City won the 2012 and 2018 FA Community Shields against Chelsea, and those results could also be affected. That would open the door for both titles to be credited to the London side if the withdrawal of the two trophies is decided.
No final punishment has been announced, amid several circulating scenarios: a points deduction, relegation and the withdrawal of titles.
The case dates back to the leaking of financial documents in 2018. The Premier League brought 115 charges against City in February 2023 and referred the file to an independent commission to examine it.
