Liverpool fans hoping the club could be awarded a Premier League title retrospectively following Manchester City’s guilty verdict over financial-rule breaches are likely to be disappointed.
A report from Empire of the Kop says Manchester City was found guilty of 114 financial breaches covering the period from 2009 to 2018. Liverpool finished runners-up to City three times after Sheikh Mansour’s takeover, but only the 2013/14 season falls within the period covered by the charges.
The key issue is what sanctions City could face. Reports cited by Empire of the Kop indicate that possible punishments could include a points deduction, relegation or even expulsion from the Premier League. Stripping titles is also reportedly possible, but redistributing those titles to the teams that finished second is not currently expected.
That means Liverpool are unlikely to suddenly be declared Premier League champions for 2013/14. The season is particularly significant because Liverpool finished second to Manchester City by just two points, after Brendan Rodgers’ side famously challenged for the title until the final weeks.
There is also uncertainty because Manchester City is expected to appeal the verdict, meaning the case and any eventual sporting sanctions could take considerable time to resolve.
The article also notes that even if Liverpool were eventually awarded a title retrospectively, some supporters might regard it differently from winning the trophy on the pitch. The bigger immediate issue is therefore what sanctions the Premier League ultimately imposes and whether City’s titles from the affected period are actually removed.
In short: Liverpool’s 2013/14 title is not currently being handed to them, and reports suggest retrospective redistribution of Manchester City’s trophies is unlikely.
