MANCHESTER CITY could be EXPELLED from the Premier League after being charged with alleged breaches of financial rules.
In theory if City were kicked out of the league, all of their results this season could be wiped off the board.
Dover Athletic saw their results expunged in the 2020-21 National League campaign, meaning the remaining teams officially played 42 games instead of 44.
With Manchester City not in the Prem, the seven sides to pick up points against them this campaign would see those results taken away.
A number of punishments for City are possible – from a slap on the wrist and a fine to enforced relegation or even expulsion from the Prem.
And a Prem table if City were expelled today, with all of their results wiped, leaves Arsenal ELEVEN points clear at the top.
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The charges relate to allegedly breaching financial regulations over nine seasons between 2009 and 2018, plus further charges of failing to cooperate from the 2018-19 campaign up until now.
If Pep Guardiola’s side were expelled from the Prem altogether, Arsenal fans can all but celebrate a first league title since the 2003/04 Invincibles.
With all of City’s games this season expunged, the Gunners would be well clear of Newcastle and Manchester United.
Seven teams have taken points off City this season, including the Magpies and Red Devils.
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United beat City 2-1 in January, so on the basis of the game being null and voided, Erik ten Hag’s side would drop from 42 points to 39 points.
Newcastle meanwhile would lose the point they earned against last season’s champions back in August.
But Eddie Howe and Co would be second to Arsenal, ahead of the Red Devils in third on goal difference.
Tottenham would then move up into the fourth and final Champions League spot with City expelled from the league.
Spurs are another team to have taken points of City, as Harry Kane became the club’s highest-ever scorer in a 1-0 win on Sunday.
Other teams to have earned a result against City in 2022-23 include Everton, Brentford, Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Liverpool would be tenth in a table without City as their 1-0 win over Guardiola and Co in October would be null and voided.
Villa meanwhile would climb above them, despite losing the point they picked up against City in September.
High-flying Brentford, currently seventh, would have their incredible 2-1 win at the Etihad in October chalked off the board.
But the Bees would remain seventh and in line for a Europa Conference League place if City were expelled from the league.
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Everton, who earned a valuable point against City on New Year’s Eve, would have that result taken off them.
That would leave them 17th out of the 19 remaining teams, only ahead of Bournemouth and Southampton.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
