“There are always risks” – Manchester City reporter offers latest on 115 charges

Manchester City supporters have been handed the very latest on the club’s 115 charges issued by the Premier League over 12 months ago.

In light of sanctions placed on the likes of Everton and Nottingham Forest by the Premier League in recent weeks, there has been growing frustration from some quarters over the lack of public progress being made with regards to Manchester City’s case.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has remained largely tight-lipped on the subject during his most recent run-ins with that line of questioning, admitting back in February, “I know my opinion about the charges against us, I have nothing new to say. We will wait.”

A hearing in front of an independent panel is likely to come later this year, while some within the industry have already mooted a verdict arriving by the end of the ongoing season, depending on the speed at which the process moves involving all parties.

Writing as part of a wide-ranging question and answer session for the Manchester Evening News, reporter Simon Bajkowski has explained that the club are ‘more confident’ in their position when compared to the UEFA clash several seasons ago.

“The club’s statement at the time said it had an “irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position”. City are also more confident in their position than they were with UEFA, having gone through a similar process and been absolved at the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” Bajkowski revealed.

“There are always risks in going to a tribunal/court rather than settling, which is why lots in the legal industry who can avoid court do so. How able the panel will be to sift through such serious charges could also work against City as much as it could work for them.”

The Manchester Evening News’ chief Manchester City writer continued, “But given their vindication over UEFA and the expected similarities between the cases, City have reason to be confident.”

Developments concerning Manchester City continue to arrive over one year on from the Premier League charging the Etihad Stadium club with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules following a four-year investigation.

The English top-flight simultaneously referred Manchester City to an independent commission over the alleged rule breaches which are claimed to have taken place between 2009 and 2018, whilst also accusing City of not co-operating since December 2018.

In response to the release in February 2023, Manchester City said that they were both “surprised” by the charges, and were also in-turn supported by a “body of irrefutable evidence” to aid their case later this year.