Carragher urges multi‑year sanctions for Manchester City after verdict

Former Liverpool defender and pundit Jamie Carragher has said Manchester City should receive a punishment lasting three to five years after an independent commission found the club guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. The commission’s strongly‑worded report, released last week, concluded the club inflated revenue by a huge amount and the owners have appealed the verdict.

Scale of the financial breach

The commission determined that City had inflated its accounts by a sum reported at between £830million and £900million over the nine‑season period from 2009‑10 to 2017‑18. The findings cover 114 of the 115 charges brought against the club.

Carragher’s penalty proposal

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, the 48‑year‑old said, “If people talk about an 80‑point or 100‑point deduction, that’s just over one season and you get relegated and then you come back again.” He added that a multi‑year sanction would force players to move on, stating, “I think the punishment should be over a number of years, three to five years, and then players would move on.”

Carragher also argued that the owners should be stripped of the club, saying, “How can you ever trust them if they’re found guilty of this? The owners should leave the club if they are found guilty.” He warned that without a long‑term penalty the scandal could “drag the game into the gutter”.

Manchester City are set to face Liverpool at Anfield this weekend, a match that will test the club’s resolve amid the controversy. Enzo Maresca’s side will encounter a hostile atmosphere, with former City defender Stuart Pearce predicting a “red‑hot” stadium.

City have won all five of their Premier League games this season and sit three points clear of defending champions Arsenal at the top of the table. However, they previously struggled at Anfield under Pep Guardiola, and the upcoming fixture could prove a stern test.