Manchester City FINED by independent Regulatory Commission following Arsenal incident

Premier League champions Manchester City have been fined by an independent Regulatory Commission following an incident during their win over Arsenal in the top-flight this month.

City won the game on February 15 by a 1-3 scoreline, as the two teams go head-to-head in an exciting Premier League title challenger that is currently seeing the Gunners come out on top so far with a game in hand on the current holders.

Kevin De Bruyne’s opening goal at the Emirates Stadium was cancelled out by a Bukayo Saka penalty in the first-half, before two goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland ensured that Manchester City came away with all three points.

Match referee Anthony Taylor was at the centre of proceedings in North London, controlling the affair between two hugely competitive outfits that contested each and every decision – but arguably no more than any other side in the Premier League has done so far this campaign.

Nevertheless, Manchester City have been fined by an independent Regulatory Commission after admitting that they failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 42nd and 64 minutes of the match.

As such, City have now been hit by a £75,000 fine.

Their opponents Arsenal have also received a sanction for the same offence, occurring in between the incidents relevant to Manchester City, while the Gunners also received an additional fine suspended from an earlier determination.

A statement from the Football Association on Friday afternoon read:

“Arsenal and Manchester City have both been fined by an independent Regulatory Commission after their players surrounded the match official at different times during their Premier League fixture on Wednesday 15 February.
 
“Arsenal have been fined £65,000 after the club admitted that it failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 56th minute of the fixture. As a consequence, an independent Appeal Board has imposed an additional fine of £20,000, which had been suspended from an earlier determination relating to the club’s breach in their game against Oxford United on 9 January.

“Manchester City have been fined £75,000 after the club admitted that it failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 42nd and 64th minutes.”

Manchester City are also currently at the centre of an ongoing battle with the Premier League, after it was announced earlier this month from the top-flight that the Etihad club had been charged with numerous breaches of financial rules following a four-year investigation.

City however, are determined to fight off all charges, and have taken on Blackstone Chambers’ Lord Pannick KC to defend the club again, following his involvement in the battle against UEFA and a ban from European football.

Monckton Chambers’ Paul Harris KC will join Pannick on Manchester City’s legal team, while a final verdict on the overall round of charges is not expected any time in the immediate future, with some sources suggesting it may take up to four years.