The Sun points out that the Premier League season has 33 rounds remaining before it concludes on May 30. Over the next 240 days, there will also be another transfer window, as well as dozens of domestic and European cup matches. Every time Manchester City plays or is involved in a player transfer, it is accompanied by doubt, disgust, and anger.

When we are facing one of the most serious scandals in football history, one involving alleged "fake" deals, how can fans—not to mention the Premier League—simply carry on as if nothing has happened?

Manchester City's hierarchy has made it clear that their strategy is to drag things out as long as legally possible, perhaps hoping the Premier League will back down or be forced to compromise on the severity of future penalties.

No one knows how long this will take, but no one can accept the possibility of Manchester City still winning the title at the end of the season.

Imagine how you would feel if Chelsea lifted the Premier League trophy at the Stadium of Light on the final day of the season.

Pretending it's business as usual before the sanctions are finally imposed is not just offensive—it's trampling on the integrity of the game.

This would diminish the value of the league to the point of being almost meaningless.

Until they are sanctioned, and very likely relegated, the Premier League will remain a farce.

Timeline: What happens next?

October 2 – Deadline for submitting an appeal

December 25 – Deadline for the appeal to conclude (12 weeks after filing)

December 14-18 – Possible dates for the appeal hearing, which could last up to five days

January 17 – Deadline for the committee to issue a final ruling

Not only will their trophies be asterisked, but every remaining goal and point this season will be viewed in the same light.

English football has entered a different world compared to eight days ago, before the initial guilty verdict was revealed.

When the allegations first surfaced in November 2018, and when the Premier League announced in February 2023 that Manchester City was accused of 115 rule breaches, there was public anger, but the matches continued as normal.

Now, everything has changed. The extent of Manchester City's breaches has been clearly laid out in black and white.

Can we truly believe what we see on the pitch for the remainder of this season?

The confidence of every fan—whether they attend matches regularly or pay premium prices to subscribe to Sky, TNT, or Amazon broadcasts—has been shattered.

Fans of ambitious clubs striving to follow the rules and desperately trying to catch up have also been affected.

As long as Manchester City remains in the league without punishment, this season will be overshadowed, and the game itself will be tainted.

The Premier League claims that Manchester City concealed £900 million through "fake" deals over nine years.

They were found guilty on 114 of the initial 115 charges, and the total number of charges has now risen to 130, divided into six main categories.

The Premier League deserves credit for pursuing this investigation, but they must also bear some responsibility.

The Premier League's "light-touch regulation" approach in the 2000s effectively allowed a nation with unlimited wealth to enter the league.

We all know what awaits Manchester City in the stands as long as they remain in the top flight—before the sanctions are imposed, they will face continuous boos.

The final outcome of these events is intriguing, but it is quite remarkable that Manchester City's first match after this humiliating guilty verdict is an away game against Liverpool.

The clubs most likely to have suffered from these offences have every reason to be extremely angry.

If Liverpool fans turn Anfield into a cauldron on Sunday, they will not get another chance like this.

What will opposing players do? Will teams refuse to shake their hands?

Clearly, this scandal reflects no blame on Manchester City's players themselves.

One can only imagine how unsettled the players must feel facing all of this.

Reports suggest that Manchester City knew this verdict was coming as early as July.

The Premier League has various potential penalties at its disposal, including transfer bans. Is it merely a coincidence that Manchester City spent heavily on new signings this summer?

From this point forward, everything they do will be questioned. The only way to prevent this season from descending into chaos is to resolve this protracted matter as quickly as possible.

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