Manchester City's success between 2009 and 2018 is under close scrutiny. The question arises whether teams that finished second in seasons marred by violations will be elevated to champion status if City is stripped of their titles?
The author notes that he has an acquaintance who persistently refuses to call Steven Gerrard by name, continuing to refer to the former Liverpool captain as 'Slippy.' Although harsh, this reflects the ruthless nature of football sarcasm.
For twelve years, Gerrard's infamous miss against Chelsea in April 2014 has been etched into stadium folklore, when he allowed Dembélé Ba to score a goal. This moment caused the collapse of Liverpool's title hopes, allowing Manchester City to seize the crown by a narrow two-point margin and generating numerous mocking memes.
However, legal proceedings could lead to an unexpected turn in English football history. An independent Premier League commission issued a historic charge against Manchester City. The commission found the club guilty of systematic breaches of financial rules, using so-called 'fictitious' commercial deals to artificially inject over £900 million (equivalent to approximately 19.5 billion rupees at the current exchange rate) into the club between 2009 and 2018.
Recalling the episode where Steven Gerrard of Liverpool stumbled and allowed Dembélé Ba of Chelsea to steal the ball near the center circle before he ran away and scored a goal that effectively decided the match outcome and cost the 'Reds' the 2013/14 season title.
For purists of football, the situation causes great agitation. For a decade, fans have urged simply enjoying the game—the thrilling pressing, tactical ingenuity, and machine-like consistency at the Etihad. But one cannot claim moral superiority when the entire spectacle was financed through balance sheet maneuvers.
While rival clubs demand relegation, expulsion, and massive financial compensation, the real comedy lies in the consequences for sporting records. Since City's financial tricks are directly linked to that painful 2013/14 season, any subsequent stripping of titles could automatically award that championship title to Liverpool.
Imagine this scenario: Steven Gerrard, whose lack of a Premier League champion medal became a defining void in his career, finally receives the trophy after 12 years—but not after an emotional 90 minutes under the Anfield floodlights, but thanks to an administrative tribunal's decision. It is simultaneously romantic, strange, and deeply dystopian.
The Premier League confirmed that the independent commission found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules over the nine-year period, as well as most charges concerning unwillingness to cooperate.
Nevertheless, City has until Friday to officially lodge an appeal, and it can be expected that their team of expensive lawyers will fight until the end. However, regardless of the outcome of the legal appeals, the illusion of perfection on the pitch has been permanently shattered. Rivals of English football spent over ten years trying to stop Manchester City on the field. Ultimately, they were defeated by paperwork, which may give an acquaintance a reason to finally get rid of the nickname 'Slippy.'