“From speaking to people at the club” – David Ornstein provides update on Manchester City’s 115 charges and verdict

Manchester City remain entirely confident of a positive outcome around their 115 charges of alleged financial rule breaches issued by the Premier League two years ago.

That is according to the information of David Ornstein, who has been speaking on the matter with broadcast media on Sunday afternoon ahead of the Premier League champions’ meeting with Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola and his players remain determined to record positive results in the competitive matches that remain for them this season, despite their UEFA Champions League ambitions coming to an end on Wednesday night.

Real Madrid and particularly Kylian Mbappe issued a damning showing on Manchester City in perhaps the most one-sided meeting between the two clubs in recent seasons, as the Etihad Stadium club crashed out via a 6-3 aggregate scoreline and a 3-1 defeat on the night.

And the matches simply do not get any easier for Manchester City as they welcome Premier League leaders Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium this weekend, as Arne Slot’s side look to further extend their lead at the top after Arsenal’s home loss to West Ham on Saturday.

But the conversation over on NBC Sports Soccer for audiences in the United States ahead of Sunday’s meeting in the North-West of England focussed on Manchester City’s alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, and the feeling of confidence within the club.

That is according to the information of The Athletic’s David Ornstein, who firstly told NBC from the Etihad Stadium of the expected verdict date that is being mooted in various quarters, “The feeling that I get from speaking to people at and around the club is that we could be looking at a springtime verdict, so maybe a month or two away.”

Ornstein continued on the matter by focussing on the feeling within the Etihad itself as he said, “From Manchester City’s perspective, they’re totally confident they will be exonerated and proved innocent.

“They’re operating as usual and we saw them do a lot of business in January; none of that, to my knowledge, was to pre-empt potential punishments because they don’t think they’re going to be punished.

“In contract negotiations held in recent years, in transfer talks taking place, no clauses have been inserted into those deals to say, ‘If Manchester City are punished, this is going to happen’. Players want to join Manchester City, and they’re continuing with everything they’re doing.”

The Athletic reporter continued, “It had no impact on Pep Guardiola’s new contract, Erling Haaland’s in January, Txiki Begiristain’s decision to leave – that was long planned, Hugo Viana’s replacing him. They think they’re going to be fine.”

On the pitch, Manchester City have a run of mammoth challenges ahead of them in multiple competitions, and while they remain focussed on recording a top-four finish in the Premier League to qualify for next season’s Champions League, there remains a chance of silverware.

City will welcome Championship side Plymouth Argyle to the Etihad Stadium next Saturday evening in the fifth round of the FA Cup, having defeated Salford City in round three and Leyton Orient in round four.

Argyle will likely be no push over for Pep Guardiola and his players however as they look to build upon their historic fourth round success, when they sent Arne Slot and his Liverpool side crashing out of the competition with a 1-0 home win.