Manchester City reaction: David Ornstein reveals some Premier League clubs are 'sympathetic' despite guilty verdict on charges
Published 10/10/2026 at 12:50 GMT+1
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Premier League clubs are split in their reaction to Manchester City being found guilty of all charges related to breaching financial rules, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein. Some clubs are said to be "sympathetic and understanding".
Ornstein on Man City charges - and what happens next
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An independent commission found that City used "sham" commercial agreements between 2009/10 and 2017/18 to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million.
The commission also said the club "made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation".
City have appealed the verdict, and the outcome of the appeal remains to be seen.
So too does the punishment the club could face should the guilty verdict stand following the appeal process.
Expulsion from the Premier League has been raised as a potential sanction, but that would require a minimum of 15 clubs to vote it through.
"My feeling is that if there's a heavy verdict, which has already been delivered, you would imagine there will be a heavy sanction sought by the independent commission," Orstein told TNT Sports before Saturday's Premier League clash between Arsenal and Leeds United, live with HBO Max.
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"It's not my view, it's not my opinion, and Manchester City will try to avoid that if indeed they are found guilty at the end of their appeal.
"In terms of other clubs, there is a whole spectrum of reactions. Some feel wronged, that they were cheated over many years out of titles, out of bonuses, out of revenue, and they want the harshest of punishments, whether that be expulsion or points deductions, transfer bans, fines and so on.
"Others are more sympathetic and understanding, they value Manchester City, whether it be as a member of the Premier League, as a trading partner who they have had big dealings with in the market.
"Manchester City have signed players off them for huge amounts of money, they've given them players, given them staff members and executives who are all over English football.
"There is an emotional reaction, there are clubs that will look to take legal action, individuals that will look to take legal action, but none of that is possible until the end of the process.
"There is a timeline ahead that must be gone through: appeals, sanctioning hearings, potential appeals of the sanctions. So we do need to be a bit patient and let justice take its course."
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'For the whole of our game, it's catastrophic' - Keown
Last week, City lodged an appeal and said there is a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" in support of their case.
Former Arsenal defender and TNT Sports pundit Martin Keown highlighted the magnitude of the case and its potential impact on the Premier League.
"Firstly, I want to say how sorry I feel for the Man City fans in all of this," he said. "For the whole of our game, it's catastrophic. It's literally dropped a bomb on our game.
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Keown: Man City charges 'catastrophic' for our game
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"Is it fiction or non-fiction? We assume that they're guilty and we've moved it on to sanctions. What are they going to suffer and how do you do that in a fair manner?
"It's a real mess. I do feel for those Manchester City players as well, they'll want some answers as to what's been happening above. They're going to have to be quite brazen in their approach tomorrow [against Liverpool].
"It's left a stain on the whole of our game. Everyone's been asked to discuss it and it's a real mess. But if they've been found to have cheated in the way that they have, I feel there are massive punishments coming."
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