Manchester City have been found guilty of almost all 115 Premier League charges against them, after a decision published on Tuesday confirmed the club artificially inflated commercial revenue by around £830m between 2009 and 2018. The Independent Football Regulator responded quickly, saying the verdict raises serious issues about City’s ownership.
News of the Independent Football Regulator’s statement on the Man City verdict spread quickly on Tuesday. It lands at a sensitive time for the Premier League champions, who still sit top of the table and travel to Anfield later this month. City deny all of the charges and are preparing a formal appeal before Friday’s deadline.
Premier League Findings and Official Appeal Details
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said City “systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade,” a line that captures the scale of what Tuesday’s panel found.
The charges covered financial reporting, profit and sustainability rules, and the club’s cooperation with the original investigation, with the commission ruling against City on nearly every count, according to the Liverpool Echo report.
City have always denied wrongdoing and say that position has not changed. The club will lodge an official appeal before Friday’s deadline, rejecting each of the charges put to the independent commission. Supporters can find a fuller breakdown in our reaction to the financial verdict.
Pep Guardiola posted his own response to the ruling on Instagram.
“I want every single @ManCity fan to know I am here; more than ever. I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran, the players, staff, Enzo (Maresca) and you, our unique supporters. Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all,” he wrote.
Anfield Fixture and Tactical Impact for Iraola
Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield on 11 October, with City arriving as league leaders regardless of Tuesday’s ruling. Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola’s side have almost a fortnight to prepare, and the fixture now carries extra weight beyond the three points on offer.
Team news and selection updates ahead of the game are covered in our upcoming Anfield fixture preview. Nothing in the verdict changes City’s status for the weekend’s game. No points have been deducted, and the club remains free to field their usual squad against Liverpool.
That keeps Iraola’s focus on football rather than the row running alongside it. City still top the table on results alone, and Liverpool’s players know a strong performance at Anfield would matter in the title race whatever the regulator eventually decides. The appeal and any further proceedings sit entirely apart from team selection and matchday preparation.
Timeline for City Appeal and Regulatory Review
City must lodge their formal appeal by Friday’s deadline, having denied every charge put to them. The Independent Football Regulator, created in July 2025, holds powers to assess whether directors and executives at English clubs are fit to hold their roles.
The regulatory framework behind the Man City verdict regulator statement gives it scope to examine club owners and senior figures, though no decision on City’s ownership has been reached. No timetable has been confirmed for the appeal hearing, and there is no indication yet of when it might be resolved.
