Former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy has discussed the potential sanctions Manchester City could face if, as reported, the club is found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges.

Danny Murphy believes that if Manchester City is found guilty of 114 of the 115 financial charges brought by the Premier League, the club will face a "triple punishment".

However, the former Liverpool midfielder has stated that stripping titles from the team would make no sense.

Multiple reports indicate that an independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all but one of the 115 charges, which relate to allegations of rule breaches between 2009 and 2018.

The Premier League will now determine appropriate sanctions. Reports indicate the club was informed during a meeting on Thursday that a resolution had been reached on the matter.

"Honestly, I was very surprised to hear they were found guilty of all but one of the charges, because they have always been very firm and have always maintained their innocence," Murphy said.

"I expect them to appeal, and contrary to what has been reported, my instinct is that this process could drag on for quite some time.

"I don't think it makes sense to strip them of titles they have already won, because awarding the trophy to the runners-up years later won't satisfy them. The fans, players and staff never got the chance to lift the trophy, so in my view, it makes no sense."

The investigation into Manchester City began in November 2018 following leaked documents and continued throughout Pep Guardiola's tenure, coinciding with their continued success in winning major honours under his management. Guardiola left the club this summer after ten years.

During this period, Liverpool was their main rival in domestic competitions. The Reds won one Premier League title and finished as runners-up twice with over 90 points, yet were still surpassed by Manchester City.

Murphy added in an interview with Snabbare: "My feeling is that the Premier League must act firmly, but they now face a dilemma, because any relegation sanction would weaken the product and reduce its competitiveness.

"But even so, I think it's highly likely they will relegate Manchester City to the Championship, impose some form of transfer ban, and hand down a record fine to send a signal to the entire football world.

"I think their most likely course of action is a significant points deduction this season, combined with a record fine and a transfer ban lasting one to two years."

Traduit par IA.

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