Man City’s stripped titles spark Premier League reshuffle

While Manchester City face the possibility of losing the Premier League crowns they have hoarded, their former rivals are already dreaming of dusting off empty trophy cabinets as fans debate whether fines, points deductions or even demotion will follow the unprecedented verdict.

Possible sanctions on Manchester City

Last week the club was found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against it, sparking a wave of speculation about the next step. Observers wonder whether a hefty fine, a points deduction or even relegation could be imposed. No official decision has been announced, leaving the football world in suspense.

Runners‑up clubs that could inherit titles

If the titles from the affected seasons are removed from Manchester City’s honours list, they would be reallocated to the runners‑up of each campaign. That means Manchester United would collect the 2011‑12, 2017‑18 and 2020‑21 titles, Liverpool would take 2013‑14, 2018‑19 and 2021‑22, and Arsenal would receive the 2022‑23 and 2023‑24 crowns.

Players who might retroactively wear champion medals

Only players who made at least five Premier League appearances in the relevant season qualify for a medal, a rule that underpins the following surprising candidates.

Iago Aspas, whose name now adorns a stand at Celta Vigo and whose club plans a statue, featured in 14 Premier League games for Liverpool in 2013‑14 but failed to score. His lack of goals was mitigated by Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge, who combined for more than 50 goals that season, and Aspas never returned to English football.

Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan swapped clubs midway through 2017‑18, a move widely regarded as a disaster. Both players logged enough games for their new clubs – Sanchez for Manchester United and Mkhitaryan for Arsenal – to meet the five‑appearance threshold for a medal.

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Rob Holding spent seven years at Arsenal before being part of the squad that finished second in the league in 2023, after which he departed the Emirates. He never cemented a regular spot, playing more than half the league games in only one season, with 14 appearances – six as a starter – in his final campaign, and he made no further Premier League appearances after moving to Crystal Palace.

James’ move to Manchester United in 2019 seemed a step too far after a near‑transfer from Swansea to Leeds. He could have earned a Premier League medal in his second United season, having started 11 matches and scored three goals, before leaving for Leeds later that year.

Kelly, a Liverpool academy graduate, became a solid mid‑table Premier League player at Crystal Palace but missed out on a 2014 move that might have brought him league glory. He made five league appearances, all as a substitute, in his final season with Liverpool.

Full‑back Ryan Flanagan broke through in 2013‑14 with 23 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, earning an England cap by season’s end. Persistent injuries forced his retirement at 29, and he never added to that solitary cap.