Ian Wright demands ‘unprecedented’ Man City punishment after Premier League verdict
by Ahad Shaukat · CaughtOffside(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Ian Wright has launched a fierce criticism of Manchester City after an independent commission found the club guilty of serious breaches of Premier League financial rules across a nine-season period.
The former Arsenal striker believes the scale of the findings means the eventual sanction should go beyond anything previously seen in English football.
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Roy Keane has also warned that the case risks damaging the Premier League’s reputation around the world, regardless of what punishment is eventually imposed.
Ian Wright’s strong reaction to Man City verdict
According to GOAL’s report on Wright’s reaction, the former England international described the situation as “cheating on an industrial scale” during ITV’s coverage.
Wright said:
“It’s cheating on an industrial scale. It’s quite surreal seeing it written down like that. You can’t mention City without mentioning what’s going on because they were so great. I feel like an unprecedented punishment is required here.”
The case centres on financial activity between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons. The independent commission concluded that City used what were described as “sham” commercial arrangements to artificially increase revenue while reducing reported costs.
The Premier League’s official statement, published on 29 September, confirmed that City were found guilty of all charges relating to serious financial-rule breaches and most of the charges concerning failures to co-operate with the league’s investigation.
Wright has every reason to demand severe sanctions
The most important point now is that the punishment has not yet been decided. That will be dealt with at a separate hearing, while City have until 2 October 2026 to exercise their right to appeal.
That makes Wright’s comments particularly significant. Previous financial cases involving Premier League clubs have generally centred on points deductions or fines, but this case is on a completely different scale in both duration and alleged financial impact.
For Man City, the challenge extends beyond the eventual sporting sanction. Their achievements during the period covered by the findings will inevitably continue to be debated, while Keane’s concern about damage to the Premier League brand highlights a wider problem for the competition itself.
Whatever happens next, the appeals process and subsequent punishment hearing could shape how financial regulation is enforced in English football for years.
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