Premier League Daily Report - 2026-09-28: Manchester City face lengthy appeal after 114 charges upheld

Manchester City were reportedly found guilty of 114 of 115 Premier League financial-rule charges on Friday, September 25. The independent panel’s findings covered alleged breaches across several seasons, with the club accused of failing to provide accurate financial information and co-operate with the league’s investigation. Potential sanctions include a fine, points deduction or relegation, although no punishment has been imposed. The Premier League has not formally published the verdict, and City have maintained their innocence since the charges were announced in February 2023. The case concerns a period in which the club won multiple Premier League titles and established themselves as English football’s dominant force.

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said the club remained confident of proving its innocence and was expected to appeal. Reuters reported that the process could drag on, with a three-person board due to hear any appeal against the independent judicial panel’s ruling. The uncertainty leaves the scale and timing of any sanction unresolved, while possible consequences extend beyond City’s current league campaign. Other clubs could potentially pursue compensation claims, and the verdict has reopened questions about the legitimacy of titles won during the period covered by the charges. For now, City remain in the Premier League while the legal process continues.

Manchester United Supporters Trust called for Manchester City to be expelled from football on September 28 if the reported guilty findings are upheld. MUST described the alleged conduct as “industrialised cheating” and argued that it could not be treated as an accounting error or an accidental breach of complex rules. City were reported to have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League, but no official punishment had been announced. The club continued to deny wrongdoing and was expected to appeal, meaning the supporters’ demand represented a reaction to an unresolved legal process rather than an imposed sanction.

The trust’s intervention added pressure to a debate already focused on relegation, a points deduction, heavy fines and the possible removal of titles. Manchester City’s reported breaches span a period in which they won eight Premier League championships, alongside domestic cups and the Champions League. That history has made the consequences especially contentious, because any eventual ruling could affect how the club’s success is viewed and whether rival teams seek financial compensation. The Premier League must now navigate the appeal and sanction stages while balancing the severity of the findings with the need for a procedurally credible outcome.

Roberto Mancini appeared to acknowledge having “a double contract” while managing Manchester City on Sunday, September 27, as the club faced the reported verdict in its Premier League financial case. The former City manager was questioned about an arrangement in which German magazine Der Spiegel reported that he received additional money for advising a club in Abu Dhabi. City have been accused of failing to provide accurate details about player and manager payments between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, the period covering Mancini’s time in charge. He led the club to the 2011 FA Cup and the 2011-12 Premier League title.

Mancini said the developing controversy was “not a problem that concerns me”, despite the relevance of the reported payment arrangement to the charges facing his former club. The allegations are part of the wider case rather than a separate finding against Mancini, and City are expected to challenge the independent panel’s reported conclusions. His comments nevertheless placed one of the central issues—whether all football-related payments were accurately disclosed—back in focus. Any appeal and subsequent sanction process could examine the implications of the findings across the seasons covered, including the club’s first title-winning campaign under Mancini.

Martin Ødegaard criticised Bernardo Silva after the Portugal midfielder kicked the back of his ankle during Norway’s 2-1 Nations League defeat on Sunday, September 27. Silva challenged from behind in stoppage time in Oslo and received a yellow card, while Ødegaard was filmed reacting angrily before limping towards the team bus. The Arsenal captain told Norwegian broadcaster TV2: “This has no place on a football pitch.” The incident brought together two former Premier League rivals, although Silva had left Manchester City for Real Madrid in the summer and was no longer playing in England.

Silva initially responded to questions about the challenge by asking, “What tackle?”, according to footage reported by ESPN, before saying: “It’s football, my friend.” The pair could meet again when Norway face Portugal in Lisbon in the return fixture of their Nations League group. Ødegaard’s reaction ensured the late challenge became the main talking point after Portugal’s victory, while the yellow-card decision left the incident short of any immediate further sporting consequence. Both players remain central figures for their national teams, giving the dispute a possible sequel when the sides meet again.

Two Italian burglars were jailed on September 28 after targeting the homes of Alexander Isak and other Premier League footballers. Valentino Nikolov, 34, and his nephew Charlie Jovanovic, 24, had already received prison sentences for stealing jewellery and cash from Isak’s Newcastle mansion in April 2024. Newcastle Crown Court heard that the pair also burgled properties belonging to Matheus Cunha, Leon Bailey and Neil Etheridge while the players were away. The gang researched footballers’ social-media accounts and training grounds, and used masks, torches and chemical spray intended to subdue dogs during the raids.

The court heard that up to £500,000 of designer clothes and jewellery was taken from Cunha’s property, while around £15,000 was stolen from Etheridge’s home. The burglars failed to take anything from Bailey’s house after its security system alerted police. Isak’s case formed part of a wider pattern of targeted attacks on professional footballers’ homes rather than an incident connected to his duties for Newcastle. The sentences brought a legal conclusion to the case, while the details underlined the security risks faced by players whose movements and match schedules can be tracked publicly.