Joe Cole slammed As he defends Man City amid guilty verdict
Former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole has found himself at the centre of a firestorm after defending Manchester City following the Premier League’s guilty verdict on all 115 financial‑breach charges, while the club simultaneously prepares an appeal and the football world watches the scandal unfold.
City’s guilty verdict and appeal
The Premier League announced last month that Manchester City were guilty of every one of the 115 charges relating to alleged financial breaches. City have repeatedly insisted they remain innocent, a stance unchanged since the allegations first emerged. An appeal has now been lodged as the club awaits any sanction.
With the verdict now public, the entire football community will be monitoring every development as Manchester City await the outcome of their appeal and any potential punishments.
The story was reported by Reuters photographer Peter Powell, who previously worked as a football network writer for Reach PLC, contributing to the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo and Football pages. From 2022 to 2026, journalist Marcus built SPORTbible’s Formula One coverage, interviewing Max Verstappen, Trent Alexander‑Arnold, Ashley Cole, Jenson Button, Fred Vasseur and Tim Henman.
Cole’s comments spark social media backlash
During a pre‑match discussion at the Emirates before Arsenal faced Leeds United, Cole sparred with former England defender Martin Keown over the appropriate sanction for Manchester City. Keown argued the club should be stripped of its trophies; Cole countered, drawing a line between doping, match‑fixing and what he described as a purchase of the club.
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Cole warned that punishing the club could also affect figures such as Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne, saying, “They need to be punished, but what about Guardiola, Kevin De Bruyne — all of them great players. They changed football.” He added that, in his view, the successes of Manchester City were not tainted.
When asked whether the recent triumphs were now stained, Cole replied, “For me, no.” He also suggested that the sport might otherwise see the same clubs dominate for another fifty years, naming Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea as examples of clubs that could otherwise continue to win.
Fans reacted sharply on social media. One wrote, “Was absolute car crash TV listening to him waffle on and on.” Another tweeted, “There are levels of cheating, alright Joe, no one will be taking you seriously being a pundit.” A third demanded, “Take the mic off him...... this is horrendous lmao.” Others simply said, “Cheating is cheating,” or “I like Joe Cole… but I think he has this completely wrong.”
The controversy adds another layer to what is being described as the biggest scandal in British sporting history, with the debate over how to classify the club’s conduct continuing to divide pundits and fans alike.