Who would take Man City’s Premier League titles?

Shockwaves swept the football world on Monday after it was revealed that Manchester City had been charged by the Premier League for breaching financial rules.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)

Claims that the six-time Premier League champions have committed more than 100 breaches come as a result of a four-year investigation into their various businesses owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group.

City have been accused of breaching Premier League financial rules in nine seasons between 2009–10 and 2017–18, plus a further five seasons in which the league claimed the club failed to cooperate with the independent inquiry into their affairs.

While there is no precise precedent as to the punishment, potential sanctions could range from hefty fines and embargoes to point deductions, forced relegation and theoretically forfeiture of the 2011–12, 2013–14 and 2017–18 titles.

Perhaps the best comparative example comes from the mid-2000s, when Juventus (among several other clubs) were found guilty of influencing match officials, leading to the Bianconeri Relegation to the second division and two Serie A titles (2004–05 and 2005–06), the latter of which went to runners-up Inter Milan.

Should City be stripped of the titles at some point, while unlikely, there is a chance that the teams who finished second in the affected seasons will be honored by the Premier League, meaning rivals Manchester United and Liverpool both could benefit once the ongoing investigations are completed.

2011–12: Overtake Manchester United on goal difference

The first championship that could be at stake also happens to be Manchester City’s historic first Premier League title, which they famously snatched from under the noses of Manchester United in the final seconds of the final day of the season.

Sergio Agüero’s 94th-minute winner against Queens Park Rangers was enough to turn the table in City’s favor and seal the club’s first title since 1968 on goal difference, with United finishing second by the narrowest margin ever .

2013-14: Coming from behind to pass Liverpool

Am I Premier League champion?

— Lucas Leiva (@LucasLeiva87) February 6, 2023

When United won the title in Sir Alex Ferguson’s farewell season in 2012/13, City had to wait until the following year to reclaim their crown, fending off a resurgent Liverpool side to eventually clinch the championship by just two points win. The Reds had pushed City to the end and were top of the table with two weeks to go, but a late-season surrender (Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip resulted in a 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Anfield followed by a disastrous 3 : 3 draws at Crystal Palace in the penultimate game), Brendan Rodgers’ side saw the advantage back to City, who leapt to the top and equalized by winning the last five games of the campaign.

However, this week’s announcement by the Premier League has prompted several of Liverpool’s 2013-14 fast-men to take to social media (with a tongue in cheek) about how they might finally get their hands on a winners’ medal.

When is the parade Reds? I want to celebrate becoming Premier League champion

— José Enrique (@Jesanchez3) February 6, 2023

When is our open top bus parade?
13/14 🏅

— Jon Flanagan (@jon_flan93) February 6, 2023

2017-18: Centurions

As City continued to flourish and establish themselves as one of the main forces in English football, they cemented their credentials by becoming the first club to win the 100-points title in 2017/18.

With Pep Guardiola at the helm, City also set new league records for most overall wins (32), consecutive wins (18) and most wins away (16) in a single season, as well as most goals (106) and goal difference (+ 79) as they rampaged home.

Guardiola’s commanding side also set a new Premier League record for the widest-ever winning margin after finishing a staggering 19 points ahead of second-place team Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United.

“If I tell you, for example, that finishing second in the Premier League with Man United was one of the best jobs of my career, you’ll say, ‘This guy is crazy,'” Mourinho said the following year. “‘He’s won 25 titles and he says second place was one of his finest achievements?’

“I keep saying that because people don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. And sometimes on this side of the cameras we analyze things from a different perspective.”