Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness has claimed relegating Manchester City “has to be an option” if they are found guilty of financial breaches.
Pep Guardiola’s side were charged by the Premier League last year with 115 separate breaches spanning over nine seasons.

Man City to be relegated?

A date has been set for a hearing, which is not known to the public, as per Premier League chief Richard Masters.
It is not believed to be until 2025 but City and their 115 charges have been in the spotlight with Everton and Nottingham Forest receiving points deductions this season.


On Monday, it was confirmed by the Premier League that the latter have been deducted four points and are now in the relegation zone as a result.
Meanwhile, Everton were deducted 10 points last November, which was reduced to six points last month after an appeal.
The Toffees were handed the sanction by an independent commission after they exceeded losses permitted under the league’s profitability and sustainability rules by £19.5million in the three seasons ending in 2021/22.
READ MORE: Ten possible punishments for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola after Premier League charges
Fans all around the world are eager to find out how Manchester City – who are going to have better lawyers than O.J. Simpson – will be punished, with many assuming they will get away unscathed because that would be bloody typical, wouldn’t it?
There has been talk of relegation to League Two and their titles stripped and speaking to Football Insider, ex-Everton CEO Wyness has likened the situation to Rangers, who were demoted to the Scottish fourth tier after tax issues.
Related video: Why Man City's 115 Charges Could See Them Kicked Out Of The Premier League (FourFourTwo)

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Wyness believes expulsion from the Premier League “has to be an option” after Masters and co. “backed themselves into a corner” with their decision to hit Everton with a ten points deduction.
“We saw it with Rangers with their employee benefit problem and the tax situation,” he said.
“That was expulsion, and they ended up going down a few leagues.
“The way it would kick off with Man City would be incredible, we know that. It would be an earthquake.
“But it has to be an option.
“The Premier League have backed themselves into a corner by giving Everton a ten-point penalty, which is greater than the punishment for going into administration.
“Where do you go with something bigger than that? They’ve left themselves with no room for manoeuvre.”
READ NEXT: Relegation, stripped of PL titles? Man City FFP punishments ranked by how much it will impact them

Man City turn 115 FFP charges into a Premier League ‘farce’ through ‘uncooperative’ tactics

Manchester City have made a “mockery” of the Premier League through their lack of cooperation over their 115 FFP charges.
Frustrations over the lack of action over City’s charges, brought against them over a year ago, are growing on the back of the sanctions of other clubs.

Man City whataboutery

Everton had their initial 10-point deduction reduced to six on review and have another charge pending, Nottingham Forest were deducted four points earlier this month, while Leicester are waiting to learn their punishment.
City’s FFP breaches between 2009 and 2018 include allegations of failing to disclose financial renumerations to one of their managers, failing to provide accurate financial information and not complying with UEFA’s FFP rules.
Premier League CEO Richard Masters has confirmed a date has been set for City’s hearing, but hasn’t divulged what that date is, though it’s widely believed to be in 2025.
The 52-page document detailing the findings and reasons for Nottingham Forest’s four-point deduction suggests City could face ‘expulsion’ from the Premier League for their more significant transgressions.

“The elephant in the room”

And now journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast what he’s heard from the Premier League about City’s case, claiming the club’s lack of cooperation had turned the process into a “farce”.
“The Premier League are saying [to me] that Man City’s charges are a lot more complex than [Everton’s and Nottingham Forest’s],” he told the Inside Track.
Related video: How Kevin De Bruyne Changed The Season For Man City (FourFourTwo)

Pep Guardiola has experimented massively with this Man City side,

“It seems like Man City haven’t been as cooperative as these other two clubs which is maybe why it’s been dragged out. It’s the elephant in the room with the 115 charges that are hanging over them.
“It makes the Premier League look a bit of a farce and it’s a real mockery of the league that nothing’s been done to them while we’re seeing charges against Everton and Forest. It’s two for Everton and the one for Forest, but City have 115.
“Man City have been through it before with UEFA when it looked like they could get expelled from the Champions League for a few seasons. They fought that one and they’re fighting the Premier League ones too.
“For the good of the game, there needs to be some decisions made.”
READ MORE: What the FFP is going on? Man City ‘expulsion’, Chelsea wait, Everton PSR fight, Forest appeal and Leicester?

FA ignore Sunak, Starmer and fan petition as England shirt honours 1966 heroes

The Football Association is standing by the controversial design of the new England shirt despite criticism from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
The shirt’s manufacturer Nike has altered the appearance of the St George’s Cross using purple and blue horizontal stripes in what it called a “playful update” to the shirt ahead of Euro 2024.

Sunak warned Nike “should not mess” with the flag while Starmer urged Nike to “reconsider” the design.
The FA said it was “very proud” of the red and white St George’s Cross but gave its support to the new design.
“The new England 2024 home kit has a number of design elements which were meant as a tribute to the 1966 World Cup-winning team,” a spokesperson said.
“The coloured trim on the cuffs is inspired by the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, and the same colours also feature on the design on the back of the collar. It is not the first time that different coloured St George’s Cross-inspired designs have been used on England shirts.
“We are very proud of the red and white St George’s cross – the England flag. We understand what it means to our fans, and how it unites and inspires, and it will be displayed prominently at Wembley tomorrow – as it always is – when England play Brazil.”
Related video: Rishi Sunak on England flag row: We shouldn't mess with it (ITN)

Well, obviously I prefer the original,

The Prime Minister was asked about the kit design on a visit to Derbyshire on Friday.
“Obviously I prefer the original, and my general view is that when it comes to our national flags, we shouldn’t mess with them,” Sunak said.
“Because they are a source of pride, identity, who we are, and they’re perfect as they are.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called on Nike to reconsider, and told The Sun: “I’m a big football fan, I go to England games, men and women’s games, and the flag is used by everybody. It is a unifier. It doesn’t need to be changed. We just need to be proud of it.
“So, I think they should just reconsider this and change it back. I’m not even sure they can properly explain why they thought they needed to change it in the first place.”
MEDIAWATCH: ‘England stars’ rage against kit change which has completely derailed Euro 2024 preparations


A petition on Change.org calling for a design change had already attracted more than 21,000 signatures by noon on Friday.
However, former national team star John Barnes could not understand what all the fuss was about.
“I don’t get involved in culture wars any more but this whole furore…I didn’t even know there was a St George’s cross,” he told the PA news agency.
“If they were going to change the three lions then that’s a debate to be had. I don’t see what the fuss is. I think it’s a much ado about nothing.
“They are not changing the colour of the shirt, the lions are still there. If they were going to change the national flag for England and change the colours then that’s a proper debate to have.”
Nike issued a statement on Friday afternoon insisting it “was never its intention to offend” with the design but did not indicate any intention to change it.

“We have been a proud partner of the FA since 2012 and understand the significance and importance of the St George’s Cross and it was never our intention to offend, given what it means to England fans,” the statement read.
“Together with the FA, the intention was to celebrate the heroes of 1966 and their achievements. The trim on the cuffs takes its cues from the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, with a gradient of blues and reds topped with purple. The same colours also feature an interpretation of the flag on the back of the collar.”
The kit pricing has also been criticised.
An “authentic” version costs £124.99 for adults and £119.99 for children while a “stadium” version is £84.99 and £64.99 for children.
MAILBOX: Other nations would never stand for what Nike have done with England kit…

Comparing Kylian Mbappe’s insane international record with Messi & Ronaldo at the same age

Kylian Mbappe boasts an unbelievable international record for France, but how does it stack up against Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age?
Considering he’s only 25, Mbappe has already achieved a hell of a lot on the international stage. The Frenchman has already got his hands on the World Cup and he came agonisingly close to winning it again in 2022.


The list of individual achievements that he’s collected while playing for France is scary. From Golden Boots and other individual awards to scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final, few players can hold a candle to Mbappe’s international career.
According to France manager Didier Deschamps, the PSG forward always has his eye on the next record.
“It’s Kylian, he’s full of ambitions. When he reaches one, he has another to reach,” Deschamps said at a press conference.
“He reached and exceeded quite a few very early on. He has that in him. He has a driving role compared to the whole group. He will do everything to get there, he will need the others, but it’s Kylian.”
During his international career so far, the Frenchman has scored 46 goals in 75 appearances. To put into context how insane those numbers are, Messi and Ronaldo had only scored a combined 48 international goals by the time they turned 25.
Related video: Mbappe fatigue is 'inevitable' - Deschamps expects star to be 'a little bit tired' for Euros (SNTV)

Mbappe has also produced an impressive 30 assists during his international career and is averaging a goal contribution every 74.8 minutes.
The real test for the Frenchman will be whether he can sustain this insane rate throughout his entire career. It’s worth noting that both Messi and Ronaldo became more prolific for their countries after turning 25.
In the case of Ronaldo, he scored 22 goals for Portugal between the ages of 18-25. Then between the ages of 25-38, he scored a whopping 106 goals.
Messi’s international career follows a similar path. The Argentine scored 26 goals between the ages of 18-25 and he’s since scored a further 80 goals for his country.
Ronaldo holds the record for the most international goals of all time with 128. However, if Mbappe continues to score at his current rate, that record could be in jeopardy.
We’ve taken a closer look at the stats and have compared Mbappe’s international record to Messi and Ronaldo when they were both 25 years old.

Kylian Mbappe’s international record

Appearances: 75
Goals: 46
Assists: 30
Goal contributions: 76
Penalties: 9
Free-kicks: 0
Minutes per goal: 123.6
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 153.7
Minutes per goal or assist: 74.8
Mbappe is arguably the best player of his generation.
© Provided by Planet Football
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every team Kylian Mbappe has scored 5+ goals against?

Lionel Messi’s international record at 25

Appearances: 70
Goals: 26
Assists: 21
Goal contributions: 47
Penalties: 4
Free-kicks: 0
Minutes per goal: 216.9
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 256.4
Minutes per goal or assist: 120

Cristiano Ronaldo’s international record at 25

Appearances: 68
Goals: 22
Assists: 12
Goal contributions: 34
Penalties: 2
Free-kicks: 1
Minutes per goal: 228.6
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 251.5
Minutes per goal or assist: 147.9
Comparing Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi stats
© Provided by Planet Football
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TRY A QUIZ: Can you name PSG’s XI from Kylian Mbappe’s debut in 2017?

An utterly bonkers France XI of players left out of Didier Deschamps’ squad

It’s been well-documented that France have an unbelievably stacked squad right now, but we can’t believe just how many talented players are currently available to Didier Deschamps.
France are the favourites to win Euro 2024 and for good reason. Along with having arguably the best player in the world in Kylian Mbappe, they also have a plethora of options in each position.

We’ve taken a closer look at the latest France squad and have compiled an utterly bonkers XI of players who didn’t make the cut.
Note: for the purposes of this XI, we’ve not included players who have announced their international retirement. That means we’ve not included the likes of Hugo Lloris, Raphael Varane or Karim Benzema.

GK: Lucas Chevalier

Chevalier has only conceded 23 goals this season and he’s kept 14 clean sheets, the joint-most amount in Ligue 1. He’s also prevented 6.1 goals which is the fourth-biggest overperformance of any goalkeeper in the French top flight.
However, despite his excellent form for Lille, he’s still yet to earn his first senior call-up. If he continues to progress at his current rate, the 22-year-old shot-stopper will surely get his chance eventually.
Related video: 'The fatigue inevitably builds up' Deschamps' struggles with players fitness ahead of Euros (SNTV)

RB: Malo Gusto

In a similar vein to England, France are absolutely stacked at right-back. Jonathan Clauss and Benjamin Pavard got the nod in the latest squad while the likes of Gusto, Nordi Mukiele and Sacha Boey were each snubbed.
Gusto has been included in the U23 squad, but he will surely have an eye on the senior team. The Chelsea full-back has done a fine job this season of covering for the injured Reece James.
He’s racked up eight assists across all competitions and there’s an argument to be made that he’s been one of Chelsea’s top performers this season.

CB: Axel Disasi

Despite being involved in the last few France squads, Disasi didn’t get the call-up this time. That’s despite being a regular in the Chelsea XI of late.
The 26-year-old has started in the vast majority of league games this season and has been among Chelsea’s most consistent performers. However, he’s not managed to make the cut this time.
Perhaps his comical own goal against Leicester City in the FA Cup put Deschamps off him this time.
London, England, 13th August 2023. Axel Disasi of Chelsea during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, London.
© Provided by Planet Football
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every French player to appear for Chelsea in the PL?

CB: Presnel Kimpembe

The French centre-half has had a troublesome time with injury of late. He’s been out of action since February last year with an Achilles tendon rupture and subsequently hasn’t made the international squad since.
Kimpembe was part of the France squad that lifted the 2018 World Cup, but injuries have seriously hampered his chances of making the Euro 2024 squad which is a shame.

LB: Ferland Mendy

It speaks volumes of the ridiculous depth available to Deschamps when serial winners like Mendy aren’t getting much of a look-in.
For various reasons, Mendy hasn’t played a single game for France since 2022. He was left out of their 2022 World Cup squad and hasn’t got a call-up this time either.
Instead, France have gone with Lucas Hernandez and Theo Hernandez for their left-back options, so they aren’t exactly struggling for quality in this position.

CM: Boubacar Kamara

When Kamara was called up to the France squad last year he had to cancel his honeymoon and then subsequently didn’t play a single minute of football. That’s got to sting.
At least he’ll get a much-needed rest this time as Deschamps was forced to omit him from the latest squad because of injury. Given the severity of his injury, the 24-year-old is set to miss the remainder of the season and upcoming Euros tournament.

CM: Khephren Thuram

The 22-year-old is currently enjoying an eye-catching season with Nice, but that’s still not been enough to earn him a senior call-up. Instead, he’s been involved in the U23 squad who are set to take on Ivory Coast and the USA during this international break.
On the back of his excellent form at club level, Thuram has been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal in recent months. With several big European sides taking notice, it surely won’t be long until he’s a regular in the senior France squad.

CM: N’Golo Kante

Despite being the wrong side of 30 and playing in the Saudi Pro League, we reckon Kante would still have something to offer to the current France squad. As he’s yet to officially announce his international retirement, he’s valid for our own XI.
The France squad just doesn’t hit the same without you, N’Golo.
Ngolo Kante of Al Ittihad in action
© Provided by Planet Football
READ: How the 10 highest earners in the Saudi Pro League have fared in 2023-24

RW: Michael Olise

The future of France seems to be in safe hands with players like Olise consistently proving their worth in the Premier League. He’s not had much luck with injuries this season, but what a game-changer he can be when fully fit.
In just 11 league appearances this season, he’s produced nine goal contributions while creating an impressive 22 chances.

We’re in no doubt that his time on the international stage will eventually come.

ST: Christopher Nkunku

Nkunku has barely featured for Chelsea since making the switch to Stamford Bridge in the summer, but France fans know exactly what he’s capable of when fully fit.
He has managed to bag two league goals in just 318 minutes which isn’t too shabby, but Chelsea fans haven’t seen anything yet.
Luckily for France, they aren’t exactly short of attacking options while the 26-year-old recovers. From Mbappe and Olivier Giroud to Antoine Griezmann and Marcus Thuram, France are stacked in this department.

LW: Kingsley Coman

With the Bayern Munich star currently nursing a knee injury, Moussa Diaby took his place in the latest squad. France have a number of world class options in the final third and Coman is undoubtedly one of them.
The 27-year-old already has 55 international caps under his belt and having won 25 trophies at club level, he’s one of the most successful players at Deschamps disposal.
France fans will be hoping that he’s made a full recovery by the time the summer rolls around.
A France XI that was snubbed by Didier Deschamps
© Provided by Planet Football
READ NEXT: Nine national teams that currently boast a golden generation of talent ft. England, France…
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name the top 20 French scorers in Premier League history?