Former Liverpool players are already speculating about their chances of winning the Premier League after Manchester City were accused of breaking financial regulations by the Premier League. The shocking news that City was being investigated by an independent panel and charged with “numerous breaches”, with the alleged figure being 100, broke on Monday after the league released an official statement.
As soo as the news broke out, there was a meltdown everywhere, right from the print medial to social media. Many were shocked and surprised, including City, while others even rejoiced it given the defending league champions’ hefty business conducted over the last decade. The Premier League suspects that City have committed serious financial breaches between 2008 and 2018 and will now be thoroughly investigated.
‘Am I a Premier League champion?’ – former Liverpool players can’t keep calm after Man City charges
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are in deep troubles if they are found guilt of over the 100 breaches. If they are proven guilty, the club might suffer from a range of penalties, including point deductions and relegation. While there is not talk as of yet whether City will be stripped-off their six Premier League titles won in that period, many have called for the step to be taken, including ex-Liverpool players who were within inches of liftin the coveted trophy.
Liverpool and Manchester United will be the most likely beneficiaries of such a decision, if it were to occur. During City’s decade of dominance, which saw all of their Premier League titles won, the duo finished second three times. And some of the legendary Reds’ players are already debating whether they deserve to be regarded as champions. That may even result in Steven Gerrard becoming a champion, nine years after his infamous slip cost his team the championship.
Lucas Leiva, the Brazilian midfielder who was a part of Brendan Rodgers’ 2013/14 Liverpool side which lost the title by two points to City wrote on Twitter:
The Brazilian was joined by Jon Flanagan who shared the same doubt and rather wanted Liverpool to be declared as the EPL champions of 13/14 season. Flanagan wrote on Twitter:
“When is our open top bus parade? 13/14,” alongside a medal emoji.
When is our open top bus parade?
13/14 ?— jon flanagan (@jon_flan93) February 6, 2023
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore, who represented the club for two years from 1995 to 1997 scoring 35 goals in 81 appearances labelled City’s fiasco as ’embarrassing’ and right away called for their six league titles won in that period to be stripped-off. Collymore told Caught Offside:
“The sad thing is, if found guilty after the investigation has concluded, it’s very likely the Citizens will face no real consequences. We saw something similar happen with Chelsea a few seasons ago. They were handed a transfer ban but that didn’t really affect them because they had, and still have, so many players on their books.
“It was a short-term punishment that served as nothing more than a minor inconvenience. If the regulatory bodies want to take a real stand, they should start stripping titles because if they were to do that, any club, not just Man City, who are found guilty of breaking FFP rules, would have done so for absolutely nothing, and there is nothing more embarrassing in sport than having your awards deemed null and void.”