Manchester City found guilty of 115 charges as Lee Sharpe calls for relegation

Manchester City have been found guilty of 115 financial charges, with former Manchester United star Lee Sharpe telling EPL Index that relegation must follow. City plan to appeal. Their first match after the verdict is at Liverpool, the side they allegedly cheated out of titles.

  • Verdict: Manchester City found guilty of 115 financial charges
  • Next step: City have laid out plans to appeal the decision
  • Possible punishments: Title stripping, instant relegation, or expulsion from the English football league entirely
  • Lee Sharpe's view: Relegation, potentially 100 or 200 points, not just a fine
  • Next fixture: Manchester City travel to Anfield to face Liverpool
  • Context: City have won every Premier League game so far and sit top of the table

What was said

"Obviously, they are going to appeal and they're saying it's all false claims, so there are obviously two sides to every story. We've got to wait for that to come out."

— Lee Sharpe on Manchester City's defence

"But if what is stated is true, then I think there's got to be a relegation."

— Lee Sharpe on the appropriate punishment

"When you look at the likes of Everton and the amount of points they were docked for what they did, and Forest as well, I think for this they've got to be relegated."

"I don't think a fine is really severe enough for these allegations and what they're supposed to have been found guilty of."

— Lee Sharpe rejecting a financial penalty

"I think there's got to be a relegation. Whether that be, I don't know whether they could do it, 100 or 200 points so they get relegated a couple of times before they can even try to get back, I'm not sure."

— Lee Sharpe on the scale of a points deduction

"But this is going to be such a complicated case because of the investment they've put into Manchester, and it's going to be interesting to watch it unfold."

— Lee Sharpe on the complexity of the case

Sharpe's argument rests on precedent. Everton and Nottingham Forest were both docked points for their breaches, and he sees a simple fine as inadequate for 115 charges. His suggestion of 100 or 200 points would, in his own words, relegate City "a couple of times" before they could even attempt a return.

He also accepts City's appeal could change everything. Until that appeal is reviewed, the historic success under Pep Guardiola is tainted. Sharpe frames the whole affair as two-sided and unresolved — but insists that if the findings hold, relegation is the only serious answer.

Why Anfield is the perfect storm

Manchester City return to Premier League action at Anfield, and the fixture list could not be more loaded. Liverpool are the side City allegedly cheated out of numerous titles, according to the source. That alone turns a routine away day into the most scrutinised 90 minutes of the season.

On the pitch, the football problem is real. City have won every Premier League game so far and sit top of the table, but they now walk into the most hostile away environment in the division with a guilty verdict hanging over them. Every touch, every chant and every camera angle will carry the weight of the charges.

The tactical question is whether City can maintain that perfect form with the outside noise. Anfield has historically punished teams who arrive distracted, and Pep Guardiola must keep a squad that knows a points deduction, relegation or expulsion is being discussed focused on the immediate task. The source makes clear it will be interesting to see if they can maintain that form.

Talking points

  • Is relegation a fair punishment, or does it punish fans and players who had no part in the financial decisions? Sharpe says the scale of the charges leaves no alternative.
  • Should the appeal freeze any punishment until it is reviewed? City insist the claims are false, and Sharpe agrees both sides must be heard first.
  • Does a 100 or 200-point deduction make sporting sense, or is it simply a backdoor way of forcing relegation twice over? Sharpe raises the idea without committing.
  • Should City's on-field form at Anfield matter at all while the case rumbles on? They sit top with a perfect record, and a win would be a powerful distraction.

What happens next

Manchester City travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in their first game back after the guilty verdict. A decision on punishment, including any appeal, currently feels a decent amount of time away, per the source. The stakes are immediate: City can protect their perfect league record, while the wider case continues to shape their future.

Frequently asked questions

What have Manchester City been found guilty of?

Manchester City have been found guilty of 115 financial charges according to the source, with the club already laying out plans to appeal the decision.

Does Lee Sharpe want Manchester City relegated?

Yes. Lee Sharpe told EPL Index that if the findings are true there has to be a relegation, and that a fine is not severe enough for the allegations.

Who do Manchester City play next after the verdict?

Manchester City travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in their first game back after the guilty verdict, the side they allegedly cheated out of numerous titles.

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