It is exceedingly terrible for clubs operating in a league as supremely elite as the English Premier League, EPL, to fraudulently cheat themselves to massive success.
Rules are rules, and supposedly responsible club managements should comply with them in administering a game termed the beautiful game.
Manchester City is currently in the eye of the storm for all the wrong reasons.
A whopping 115 breaches were brought against the club, with reports now indicating that an independent commission found City guilty of 114 of them.
The club, however, maintains that the Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.
Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, has appealed to the fans to remain calm and faithful, insisting that the club will continue to defend its position and pursue the available legal process.
According to reports, Manchester City is expected to appeal the verdict. The sanctions have not yet been announced, and the possible consequences could include a heavy fine, points deduction, stripping of titles or even relegation.
From the available reporting, however, there is no basis for football fans to start celebrating the prospect of receiving Manchester City’s trophies.
Even if titles were eventually stripped, the relevant period under investigation is 2009 to 2018.
During that period, Manchester City won three Premier League titles, in 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2017/18, as well as three League Cups, in 2013/14, 2015/16 and 2017/18.
That immediately puts a different complexion on the matter.
For instance, Manchester United finished runners-up to City in the 2011/12 and 2017/18 Premier League seasons, while Liverpool finished second in 2013/14.
But whether those titles would actually be reassigned to the runners-up is another matter entirely.
There is no automatic rule that says a stripped title simply moves to the team that finished second. Any such outcome would depend on the eventual sanction imposed by the relevant authorities.
The same applies to Arsenal and the League Cup. Arsenal were beaten by City in the 2018 final, but that does not mean Arsenal would automatically inherit the trophy if City were sanctioned.
Expert opinion has suggested that the eventual punishment could include a substantial financial penalty and a huge points deduction, potentially severe enough to threaten City with relegation.
But until the sanction is formally determined, nobody can say with certainty what punishment Manchester City will receive.
For Gunners fans, therefore, we should lower our expectations from City’s debacle. Even if Manchester City are eventually found guilty after the appeal process and even if they are relegated, Arsenal will not stroll to this season’s title.
Our last match against Brighton and Hove Albion is a huge warning that our squad is not as complete as it is generally acclaimed to be.
Like we did last season, Arsenal must win the title on the pitch, not wait for Manchester City to lose it in the courtroom.
That is the real lesson.
