Liverpool gets Man City 115 charges update as lawyer gives new verdict

Sports lawyer Tom Murray believes Manchester City will be found in breach of at least some of the 115 Premier League charges against the club, but he warns a final outcome could still be more than two years away

Manchester City is anticipated to be found guilty of breaching at least some of the 115 charges brought against the club by the Premier League, though a final verdict could still be more than two years away, according to sports lawyer Tom Murray.

The founding partner of the 'Three Points' law firm expects the process to remain protracted, further complicated by the appeals procedure. Liverpool fans are keen to discover the outcome of the case, as any hypothetical punishment for City — such as a points deduction or the stripping of titles — could impact the Reds and other Premier League clubs.

City stands accused of violating financial regulations across a nine-year period dating back to 2009. The investigation was launched in 2019 and encompasses allegations of financial reporting irregularities and of non-cooperation with inquiries. City denies any wrongdoing.

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The hearing commenced in September 2024 and spanned 10 weeks, yet all parties remain awaiting a ruling.

The sheer volume of charges and gravity of the allegations appear to have contributed to the lengthy wait for a decision, with the case representing uncharted territory in English soccer.

Murray reckons the sheer volume of allegations means Manchester City will ultimately be found guilty of something.

Yet, despite ongoing chatter about when a verdict might be delivered, Murray refrained from offering a timeline, having consulted with those involved in the proceedings.

"I don't think anyone knows," Murray told the 'Price of Football' podcast. "I've spoken to barristers working on the case, and even they don't know when the decision will be released. As much as I would like to speculate, I think it would be pointless.

"What do I think the outcome is going to be? I think Manchester City are going to be found liable, in breach of something. With the number of charges there are I don't think they are going to get away with this.

"But this is going to be strung out for as long as possible and I think we can expect an appeal and we'll be back in the same position. In two years' time, it wouldn't be surprising if we still don't have a final outcome."

By contrast, Stefan Borson, who previously advised City on financial matters, anticipates a decision "quite soon."

He's even suggested it could land before the campaign concludes. "I think it's coming quite soon, but then we have said that before, right?" he said. "My best guess and the kind of feeling in the parties is that it will come at the end of the season.

"June would be most likely, that's the feeling. There's no justification now from a kind of how long it takes to write this up, there's no justification now.

"This is now ridiculous territory. 18 months to write up a decision in a private arbitration is clearly ridiculous. There's been little things that I've heard that would signify that we are coming to the end of the process of writing it up."

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