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Man City Rocked: 114 Charges Upheld, Haaland Exit Rumours & Injury Blow

📅 October 5, 2026 · By Liberia Sports Live · AI-assisted match report · 👁 6

Verdict that shook English football

Manchester City are facing the most serious crisis in their history after an independent commission found them guilty of 114 out of 115 Premier League financial rule breaches covering nine seasons, from 2009-10 to 2017-18. The Premier League confirmed the findings, with the commission determining that City arranged commercial deals in which companies paid only a portion of sponsorship fees, with the remainder secretly funded by Abu Dhabi United Group — the club's owners. The league said these schemes artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs by more than £900 million. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters described it as "the most significant" disciplinary case in the league's history.

City appeal, deny wrongdoing

Manchester City have firmly rejected the verdict. Club chief executive Ferran Soriano called the entire process a "Premier League conspiracy theory" in a message to players and staff. The club confirmed they lodged an appeal before the October 2 deadline, and the case will now move to a new three-person independent appeals panel. City insist significant elements of the process remain ongoing and that they have not been found guilty of anything final yet.

What punishment could come?

The Football Association released a statement on 2 October saying the commission's decision "has significant implications for the integrity of the game" and that they are carefully monitoring developments. Under Premier League rules, possible sanctions range from a financial fine and points deduction all the way to expulsion from the division — though no specific punishment has yet been confirmed. Reports have also surfaced suggesting City players could legally be entitled to terminate their contracts given the circumstances, adding further uncertainty to the club's future.

On the pitch: form and fixtures

Despite the chaos off the pitch, City have been in strong form on it. Their most recent Premier League outing ended in a thrilling 5-3 win over Sunderland, and they also hammered Norwich City 5-0 in the Carabao Cup in September. The club currently sit at the top of the Premier League table. Their next match is a high-stakes home clash against Liverpool on 11 October 2026.

Injury concern

There is a growing injury worry heading into the Liverpool fixture. Young midfielder Nico O'Reilly picked up a problem while on international duty, and manager Enzo Maresca is expected to give an update on his fitness when he faces the media next Friday. Separately, summer signing Rayan Cherki, who joined from Lyon for around £31 million, suffered an injury earlier in the season that kept him out for approximately two months — though he could be nearing a return to fitness.

Transfer talk

⚠️ Rumour: The biggest transfer story swirling around the Etihad is the future of Erling Haaland. Despite being tied to a contract running until 2034, reports emerging on 3 October suggest the Norwegian superstar is eyeing a move to Spain as early as 2027, with Real Madrid understood to be monitoring the situation closely. Haaland's future is seen as directly linked to what punishment City ultimately receive. ⚠️ Rumour: AC Milan have been credited with interest in City defender Ruben Dias, while Phil Foden has been linked with a move to the San Siro by Italian outlet SportMediaset. Both remain unconfirmed speculation at this stage.

Sources

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