Finance expert is correct, Man City should be expelled from the Premier League

Manchester City should be relegated after being found guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.

The verdict of a hearing that ended nearly two years ago appears to have finally emerged, with the potential ramifications for the Citizens extremely significant.

Points deductions, fines, transfer bans, the stripping of titles and even expulsion from the Premier League are all on the table, with a sanction hearing set to take place in the coming weeks.

Man City reportedly intend to appeal the verdict and will likely exhaust all options as they continue to maintain their innocence, but the outcome appears likely to be a huge one for the Premier League.

The likes of Nottingham Forest and Everton have been hit by points deductions for singular charges, and the treatment of the Citizens should be even more severe.

The Premier League will never have a greater chance to stamp their authority, and make sure the type of financial doping Man City are alleged to have been involved in will never happen again.

It means either relegation to the Football League or, at the very least, a points deduction so severe - likely more than 60 points - that it makes demotion a formality.

Finance expert can't see the Premier League 'going easy'

Whatever punishment is decided for Man City, there is an argument that the damage has already been done.

The Citizens have won the Premier League eight times, the FA Cup four times, the League Cup seven times and the Champions League since the financial breaches are said to have started.

Put simply - Man City bought success and were allowed to for many years. Nothing can be done to change that.

What the Premier League can now ensure, however, is that the Manchester club are made to feel the consequences to the full extent, in such a way that would send a message throughout the league.

The Premier League has often been seen to favour the big clubs and not treat the wider league equally. Now, there is a chance to flex their muscles and prove that there is no getting away with it.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on Friday, Dr Tom Bason said: "I can't see the Premier League trying to go easy on City, they are going to want to make a case of City.

"The one thing they might have in the back of their minds is they don't want to devalue the Premier League brand, that is something they might be considering.

"City bring a lot of eyeballs to the league, they bring in a lot of money, have some of the best players. But the Premier League might be thinking the damage has already been done, we might as well go the whole hog."

Did Pep Guardiola jump sinking ship?

Pep Guardiola left Man City at the end of the season, in a decision that seemingly came out of nowhere.

"I would have loved to wait and to find out what happens but just in case we are not innocent we will accept what the judge and the Premier League decides," he said after the charges emerged in 2023.

"But if the same situation with Uefa happens and we are innocent, what happens to restore or pay back our damage?"

Did Guardiola catch wind of the likely verdict and decide to leave before chaos ensued? That is the question that will be asked in the coming weeks.