The claims concern the club’s ongoing case over alleged financial rule breaches. City have appealed an independent commission’s findings and continue to deny wrongdoing, meaning the final outcome and any punishment remain unresolved.
According to the Daily Mail, league officials want the disciplinary process to move forward quickly, with a substantial points deduction viewed as a possible sanction. A further deduction in the second tier has also been raised as a possibility, while expulsion from the English Football League system is described as unlikely because of the disruption it would cause.
No sanction has been formally announced, and the reported scenarios should not be treated as a decision by the Premier League or the independent appeal panel.
The commission’s findings related to alleged financial reporting breaches over the period from 2009 to 2018, alongside allegations that Manchester City failed to cooperate fully with the league’s investigation. The commission found against the club on the relevant charges, including claims involving commercial agreements and the reporting of revenue and costs.
City lodged an appeal on October 1. In a statement confirming that move, the club said it believed the commission’s opinion contained “clear material errors, of law, principle and fact” and maintained that it was innocent of the accusations.
The club also said it had a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” in support of its position.
The case has become one of the most significant disciplinary disputes in English football because of the potential consequences for City and the wider league. Possible sanctions discussed around the case have included financial penalties and points deductions, but the scale and timing of any punishment depend on the process reaching a final outcome.
The Daily Mail report suggests a points deduction could be severe enough to make relegation unavoidable. It also reports that a second deduction could prevent an immediate return to the top flight.
Those possibilities remain speculative. City are entitled to pursue their appeal, and the final outcome could affect both the findings against the club and the consequences that follow.
The Premier League has not announced a confirmed date for a final resolution. Under the fast-track process cited in recent reporting, the appeal is expected to progress in the coming months, although legal and procedural questions could affect the timetable.
Until the appeal process and any subsequent sanction decision are concluded, claims that City will definitely be relegated or held in the Championship for two seasons remain unconfirmed.