Premier League charges against Manchester City

It was nearly two years coming but when the Premier League’s verdict arrived this week it buried Manchester City.

Quite how far beneath their current exalted status will become clearer in the fullness of time, although the 21 months needed to reach a conclusion over the 100-plus charges levied against them would suggest it will be a while before the club discovers if it will be fined, stripped of titles, docked points, relegated, or all of the above.

“I’d put them in the lowest league they can go, then put restrictions on them in terms of how much money they can spend for the next three or four seasons,” Wayne Rooney said.

It could be argued that as a successful former Manchester United player, of course Rooney would happily see Manchester City vanish from the face of the earth.