In February 2023, the soccer world was left stunned as Manchester City were accused of 115 breaches of FFP regulations. The club was accused of disclosing financial information, breaching PSR rules, and not revealing player and management payment details. Strikingly, 14 months after the accusations, there has not been a single court hearing, let alone punishment regarding the matter. On the other hand, in the 21/22 season, Everton was guilty of breaking FFP rules. As a penalty, they received a 10-point deduction this season. Similar situations have been handled very differently for the two clubs. This has attracted the attention of Caroline Dinenage, chair of the Culture, Media, and Sport committee. The MP says that the situation points to the existence of a ‘two-tier system‘ in English soccer.

In a recent interview, Caroline Dinenage said the Premier League’s investigation regarding FFP breaches isn’t up to the mark. She said, “It’s taking too long, and it feels unfair to teams like Everton for whom the decisions have been already made and the penalties have already been handed out.” The MP added that Manchester City’s legal battle could take years to resolve.

Furthermore, she said, “It does sometimes feel like there’s some kind of two-tier system here. When the boss of the Premier League came and gave evidence to the select committee, he spoke about ‘big clubs’ and ‘small clubs.’” The MP finds the situation puzzling and clubs like Manchester City should not receive different treatment owing to their size.

While many believe Manchester City is being handed an unfair advantage by the Premier League, there is evidence to suggest otherwise. Despite the Sky Blues winning an unprecedented 4 League titles on the trot, there is a reluctance to fully embrace their achievements. This had led to a club legend feeling ‘frustrated.’

Manchester City’s FFP situation is ‘not good’ as per club legend

Pundit Micah Richards wants Manchester City to immediately resolve the charges related to FFP breaches. The former Sky Blues player added that the opposition players and teams are always talking about it. He considers the situation frustrating considering how incredible Pep Guardiola’s side is. He explained, “All the hard work the players have put in, all the staff, and all the people in the club, all they want to do is to drive this club forward. So to have these charges still over the head. It’s not good for anyone.”

Gary Neville is one of those who feels the 115 charges prevent Manchester City from being the PL’s best. Instead, the pundit believes that honor goes to Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United. Despite the fact that Guardiola’s side has a better win ratio and more points tally, Neville says that until the charges are cleared, there is only one winner.