Premier League managers on the Manchester City "scandal": justice requires punishing whoever is proven to have cheated
Contrasting positions
The financial charges against Manchester City have split opinion among Premier League managers, with several addressing the case in their press conferences on Friday ahead of the weekend's fixtures. Questions still swirl over how the saga ends and what it means for the competition.
Their responses ranged widely. Some stayed tight-lipped while awaiting a verdict, others attacked the sheer length of the process, and a few demanded a swift resolution. All of this follows reports that the club has been found guilty of 115 charges tied to alleged financial breaches across nine seasons, with legal proceedings still ongoing.
Andoni Iraola, the former Bournemouth boss now in charge at Liverpool, trod carefully. Judging the case without the full picture, he argued, would be unfair, and the panel handling it is best placed to provide answers after the long months spent poring over the file.
Uncertainty serves nobody, Iraola added, urging patience until the process runs its course. He also made clear that the sheer difficulty of facing Manchester City will keep his players focused on the pitch rather than the noise around the case.
Xabi Alonso steered clear of the row entirely. The Chelsea manager said his side simply doesn't have enough information, and that the priority is controlling what can be controlled inside the club while respecting the process.
David Moyes took a sharper line. The Everton manager recalled the eight-point deduction his club suffered during the 2023-2024 season for breaching the profit and sustainability rules.
Moyes said he struggles to understand how other cases can drag on for nearly 10 years without resolution when clubs have been punished over far shorter spans. Even so, he praised City's contribution to the game, crediting their style of play and the managers and players who have passed through the club with raising the level of the Premier League.
Michael Carrick called it an exceptional situation given the size and influence of the club. The Manchester United manager wanted greater clarity on where it all leads.
The file has weighed on him personally over the years, he admitted, amid questions over whether some of City's titles, won at the expense of their rivals, might be revisited.
Oliver Glasner insisted on waiting for the final verdict. The Nottingham Forest manager pointed to an appeal still under consideration and argued that justice means punishing anyone proven to have cheated and sparing anyone who hasn't. He wants the case settled quickly to protect the integrity of the competition and the reputation of the Premier League.
Taken together, the comments underline the mounting pressure to close one of English football's most contentious cases. The fate of the charges and any sanctions remains tied to the legal process and the final decisions of the authorities.
