Derby County and rivals look on as Man City relegation verdict issued on FFP charges

Manchester City would be as good as relegated to the Championship if they are found guilty of the most serious of their alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, it has been claimed.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire feels the points deduction would be so vast for the reigning champions that dropping into the second tier would be the most likely outcome. Clubs in the Premier League and the Championship have been interested in the City saga over recent months, and the case is now reported to have concluded.

A judgement is still to be made public although it is expected later this year. The Premier League and City will both have the chance to appeal should either party disagree with the outcome. According to Maguire, it is unlikely the Premier League would expel City and relegate them to the Championship to join Derby County and company.

The EFL is not obliged to accept them but Maguire feels a significant points deduction could effectively lead to the same outcome, particularly when considering recent deductions for Everton and Nottingham Forest last season.

Maguire explained: "In the case of City, there's actually three charges. It's not 115. And, if found guilty of those charges, then the book will be thrown at Manchester City and it's going to be a massive points deduction.

"You can't just relegate them because the Premier League and the EFL are independent bodies, so the EFL doesn't have to accept them. Given the Everton and the Nottingham Forest points deductions of last season were both described by the commission as minor breaches, well what City are being accused of is major breaches over a nine to 10-year period, so you would be looking at somewhere between 60 and 100 points if you go through on a charge by charge basis. That would relegate them."

Maguire was also sceptical about the potential success of an appeal, adding: "I think there are very narrow grounds for appeal. It's only if the conduct of the committee itself was unprofessional in some way that one of the parties can potentially make an appeal.

"If City are found guilty then the whole board of directors has to resign because they will have been found guilty of misrepresentation, effectively lying to a commission."

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