^ ^ Jamie Carragher demands two punishments for Man City after Premier League guilty verdict

Liverpool legend and ex-England defender Jamie Carragher (Picture: Sky Sports)

Jamie Carragher says Manchester City should be stripped of the titles they won during the years they have been found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules.

The Liverpool legend and former England defender also believes Man City’s owners should be removed as their position is untenable.

The Premier League announced in a statement on Tuesday that Manchester City had been found guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of financial rules by an independent commission.

Between the period of 2009 and 2018, during which Man City won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups, the club ‘relied on sham agreements to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs’.

Less football on the telly? Read about it instead

Our exclusive football newsletter cuts through the noise to deliver analysis and gossip straight to your inbox every week. Sign up now for free.

The Premier League stated that Manchester City’s sanction ‘will be addressed separately in a further hearing’ but the club maintain their innocence and intend to appeal the verdict.

A number of different sanctions have been raised as possible punishmentsand Carragher is of the opinion that Man City should be stripped of their titles.

However, he does not believe titles should be retrospectively awarded to other clubs, even though his beloved Liverpool would set to benefit from such an outcome.

Up Next

‘I do think Manchester City’s titles they’ve won in this time, or trophies, should be taken off their list,’ Carragher said on Sky Sports.

‘Whether other clubs should get them is slightly different. But what Man City have done is, they’ve not just hurt their own players in terms of no one looks at their trophies and medals now in the same way…

‘I’ve been very lucky to win a few medals. I never look at the medal years later. But my mind goes back to a moment, I get a feeling in my stomach. I remember the referee blowing a final whistle of a big game.

Man City have been the dominant force in English football over the past decade (Picture: Reuters)

‘Those players will never get that feeling and it was robbed by Manchester City. That’s what they haven’t got. I don’t think any player will care if you go and give them a medal, and he puts it in the house, in his trophy room, he’ll never look at it.

‘It’s not about medals, it’s about feelings, and that’s what Manchester City have robbed.’

Explaining why the biggest scrutiny should be on the bosses at the Etihad Stadium, Carragher added: ‘The club are going to get punished.

Up Next

‘You’ve got supporters, players, the club and owners. For me this is all about the owners, the people who are at the top of the club.

‘Man City are a wonderful club and have been for a hundred years and will be for hundreds of years going forward. But in terms of what we’re finding out now, I don’t know how the owners can continue in English football.

‘We talk about a fit and proper test for owners. What they’ve done for 10 years – and left this stain that will be there for the next 10 years – it starts because they don’t like the word no.

Current Man City boss Enzo Maresca (Picture: Getty)

‘When you see the statements – the one from [CEO Ferran] Soriano last night – it’s beggars belief what you’re hearing.

‘They have so much power and finance behind them, nobody ever tells them no. Until they move away from the club, I don’t know how this stain is removed from the club.

‘City will move on – they will have great teams in the future. But I don’t see how the ownership can continue after what’s happened here and their reaction to it.

‘How can they be surprised? They’ve got irrefutable evidence – well where is it? Put it out there.’

Carragher’s former club Liverpool are Manchester City’s first opponents since the guilty verdict, with Enzo Maresca’s side travelling to Anfield on October 11.

Man City are currently top of the Premier League having amassed a perfect 15 points from their opening five games of the 2026-27 campaign.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Thierry Henry speaks out on Bradley Barcola struggles at Liverpool

Bradley Barcola is still looking for his first Liverpool goal (Picture: Getty Images)

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry expects a tricky time for Bradley Barcola at the start of his Liverpool career, but has warned the summer signing that ‘he’s going to have to deliver’ soon.

The 24-year-old arrived at Anfield from Paris Saint-Germain in August for an initial £106 million, with another £17m in potential add-ons.

He has already made five appearances for the Reds, but is yet to score or make much of an impression.

Liverpool have had a solid but fairly stodgy start to the season under new boss Andoni Iraola, unbeaten in five Premier League games but with three draws.

Less football on the telly? Read about it instead

Our exclusive football newsletter cuts through the noise to deliver analysis and gossip straight to your inbox every week. Sign up now for free.

Henry thinks Barcola will take time to adapt to a new system after impressing under Luis Enrique at PSG, while learning a new language is also a hurdle to overcome.

The Gunners icon also feels the big-money signing has work to do on his finishing, but says that expects that to improve.

‘You can see that everyone who comes into Luis Enrique’s system shines – [Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia, [Ousmane] Dembele, [Desire] Doue, Barcola,’ Henry told Betway.

Barcola has won 30 caps for France (Picture: Shutterstock)

‘It’s not always easy when you’re used to a certain system and a way of playing, where everybody knows what’s happening at any time. He just arrived in Liverpool, he doesn’t speak English, and it’s a different style of play with different intensity in the league.

‘I had to deal with it the same way, and then that little switch happened and I was more comfortable. You start to speak English, you can joke around in the dressing room, you’re a bit less shy and people start to know what you’re about.

‘It’s not an easy place to start, and he didn’t ask for his price tag, but it’s on his back. We all know that one-v-one, he is deadly, and he has pace. The only thing he needs to work on is his finishing, but that’s normal. If you see my finishing when I was 19 or 20 compared to the end of my career, it was so different. I became so much more sure about my game.

‘With winning the Champions League back-to-back, playing for France, with the price tag and the quality that he has, people are not going to wait for him to become the finished article, so he’s going to have to deliver. There is going to be a level of expectation, and sometimes he is a bit raw in his finishing, but he creates a hell of a lot.’

Barcola made his Champions League debut for Liverpool against Atletico Madrid (Picture: Getty Images)

Another new arrival at Anfield, Jeremy Jacquet, has made a very impressive start since signing from Rennes.

The 21-year-old has slotted in alongside Virgil van Dijk in the middle of the defence and Henry is not surprised he is living up to his potential.

‘It’s always been very high,’ he said of Jacquet’s reputation. ‘When I was the coach of the [France] Under-21s I wanted to call him up, he was only 16 or 17, but he didn’t come because he had to take his exams. As much as he is concentrated on football, he was also concentrated on getting his degrees.

‘He’s very on-point in his head, and his family knows what he needs to do and how he can be successful.

Jeremy Jacquet has made an impressive start to life at Liverpool (Picture: Getty Images)

‘People told me that he has always been seen as “the guy”, but it doesn’t always work that way. Many times I’ve seen players who were “the guy” at that age turn out not to be the guy, while sometimes it does go the other way.

‘You can see that he already understands what he needs to do, especially in the physical part of the game. It also helps if you play alongside Virgil. But am I surprised with him dealing with the level of expectation? No, not really, because he was always in that situation in the youth system in France.’

Barcola and Jacquet are both involved in the new era of the France national team under Zinedine Zidane, both starting in the 1-0 win over Belgium on Monday.

France are back in action against Italy on Friday and face Belgium again on Monday.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Wayne Rooney disagrees with Rio Ferdinand over ‘uncomfortable’ Man City punishment

Rooney and Ferdinand won five league titles together (Picture: EMPICS Sport)

Wayne Rooney says he would be uncomfortable accepting a Premier League winners’ medal were Manchester City to be stripped of their titles.

City were found guilty of 114 of 115 charges made against them by the Premier League last week and face a number of sanctions, ranging from huge fines, points deductions and even expulsion from the league.

United finished second behind City in two of the league seasons during the period in which City have been investigated – 2011/12 under Sir Alex Ferguson and again in 2017/18 with Jose Mourinho at the helm.

Rio Ferdinand, part of that 2011/12 squad that missed out on the final day of the season, has called for another league winners’ medal to be added to his collection while David de Gea has also questioned whether he is owed two more.

Less football on the telly? Read about it instead

Our exclusive football newsletter cuts through the noise to deliver analysis and gossip straight to your inbox every week. Sign up now for free.

While Rooney believes the right move now is for City to be relegated from the top flight, the former United skipper does not see sense in the titles they won retrospectively handed to other teams.

United had an eight point lead at the summit of the league with just six games remaining during the back-end of the 2011-12 season. But costly defeats to City and Wigan and a 4-4 draw with Everton having led 4-2 blew them off course.

‘I have heard Rio has come out saying about getting another Premier League medal… I wouldn’t really feel comfortable accepting another Premier League medal, if I’m being honest,’ he said on Stick To United. 

United won their last title in 2012-13 (Picture: Manchester United FC)

‘I don’t think we deserve it, we didn’t do enough that season to win the league. I think we were six or seven points clear with four or five games to go and we threw it away.

‘I’ve seen everything that has come out over the past few days and listening to people and I was putting myself in a Man City player’s shoes… they’re players, they’re doing everything they can to try and win the Premier League title and in their mind they have done it, if those players have no understanding of what is going on above them, if that happened to me… I would be absolutely devastated.

‘It might happen, they might take them [medals] away, but I wouldn’t want it [a medal] because I don’t think as a team we deserved it that year because obviously we didn’t finish first. 

‘So when I see team-mates saying “I want a medal”, I’m happy with the five I’ve won. I wouldn’t want this one. Should they get it stripped for what the owners have done? Yeah maybe, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable accepting it.’   

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Man Utd organise behind-closed-doors friendly for Michael Carrick’s struggling side

Michael Carrick is trying to keep his squad match sharp during the international break (Picture: Getty Images)

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick is looking to keep his squad match sharp during the international break, with a behind-closed-doors friendly later this week.

A lot of Red Devils stars are on duty with their countries during this epic international break, with Manchester United’s next fixture still 11 days away on October 10.

However, there are still plenty with the club and training at Carrington as they prepare for a huge clash with Tottenham in their next outing.

United’s English stars are all with the club after Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo withdrew from Thomas Tuchel’s squad and the likes of Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw were not selected.

Less football on the telly? Read about it instead

Our exclusive football newsletter cuts through the noise to deliver analysis and gossip straight to your inbox every week. Sign up now for free.

The players Carrick has available to him will be involved in a friendly later this week against another club that Jim Ratcliffe is involved with.

The Telegraph reports that United will play Swiss side Lausanne-Sport, a club that was bought by Ineos in 2017.

Lausanne are currently bottom of the Swiss Super League with just one win in their opening nine games and seven goals scored in that time.

Harry Maguire is one of the Red Devils stars not involved with his country (Picture: PA Wire)

Both clubs will be hoping that a friendly contest will spark something in their form as the Red Devils have also had a very disappointing start to the campaign.

Carrick’s team has won just one of their first five Premier League games and has been dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton, letting slip a two-goal lead against the Seagulls to lose 3-2.

Their league form has been concerning as the only victory has come against Ipswich Town, while they have been beaten by Hull City and dropped points against Everton and Fulham.

Manchester United were heavily criticised for their performance in a 1-1 draw at Fulham (Picture: Getty Images)

A loss to Manchester City is no disgrace, but given the match at Old Trafford saw Phil Foden shown a red card after just 23 minutes, it was a very frustrating defeat.

Frustrations were only increased by Erling Haaland’s winning goal proving to be incorrectly given by VAR when it should have been ruled out.

Manchester United’s early season struggles see them sitting 12th in the Premier League table and pressure already mounting on Carrick.

The Red Devils have an extremely busy October ahead of them, despite their first match of the month not being until that clash with Tottenham on the 10th.

Before the end of the month, United then face Atletico Madrid, Leeds United, Como, Bournemouth and Chelsea.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Patrick Dorgu injury labelled ‘annoying’ as Denmark star returns to Manchester United

Patrick Dorgu is the latest injury concern at Manchester United (Picture: Shutterstock)

Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu will return to the club after limping out of Denmark’s win over Wales in the Nations League on Sunday.

The 21-year-old started the 2-0 win for the Danes in Copenhagen but lasted just 30 minutes before going down and being substituted.

It was a non-contact injury and Dorgu appeared to be feeling at his hamstring as he sat on the turf.

The severity of the injury is not yet clear, but there will be great concern for the versatile full-back and winger who missed a substantial amount of last season due to a hamstring problem.

Less football on the telly? Read about it instead

Our exclusive football newsletter cuts through the noise to deliver analysis and gossip straight to your inbox every week. Sign up now for free.

Dorgu sat out from late January to late April with the injury and will be desperate to avoid a similar absence due to the latest problem.

Denmark manager Brian Riemer was left very frustrated by the ‘annoying’ situation as Dorgu and Hamburg’s Albert Grønbæk are now both unavailable due to injuries.

‘I’ve never experienced anything like it. I’d like to be allowed to say that. And now another one went today – also a good one,’ said Riemer.

Dorgu went down without any contact, sparking concerns (Picture: Shutterstock)

‘I counted up, and that was seven or eight players before today who would normally always be in a squad of 23. They’re not here. They’ve either gone home or never came at all.

‘And now Dorgu went out today. And it’s just really annoying to be honest.

‘I have to call up one more winger. It’s easy to find a player who can be a winger, a full-back or something else, but it’s even harder to find someone who can cover more positions.

‘So it’s going to be a bit of a headache for me. I have to figure out whether we should call up one or two.’

Manchester United are next in action on October 10 against Tottenham, but Dorgu’s involvement is now in serious doubt.

He will also be disappointed to miss Denmark’s meeting with Portugal on Thursday and another clash with Wales on Sunday.

Bruno Fernandes missed Portugal’s game against Norway on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)

There was also concern at Old Trafford over Bruno Fernandes during this international break, with the Red Devils captain sitting out of Portugal’s win over Norway on Sunday.

However, manager Jorge Jesus suggested he would be back for the meeting with Denmark this week.

‘He played with an injury he brought from Manchester United. He really wanted to play against Wales,’ Jesus said on Saturday. He wasn’t at his usual level, we’ll see if he’s ready.

‘He said he’s been dealing with that pain for about three games, and that was one of the factors that prevented him from being at his usual level against Wales.

‘He was my player [at Sporting], I know him perfectly. I’ve already spoken to him. I prefer not to risk him in this game and have him clean and in good physical condition for the Denmark game.’

Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo both pulled out of the England squad during this international break, although their issues are not thought to be serious.

Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko withdrew from international action as well with an ongoing shin injury.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Thomas Tuchel risks angering Premier League managers with ‘madness’ comment

Thomas Tuchel does not have much sympathy for club bosses (Picture: Getty Images)

England manager Thomas Tuchel says he does not take calls from Premier League bosses who are hoping he rests their players, saying it would be ‘madness’ to do so.

The new-look international schedule this season sees the Three Lions play four matches in this current break from Premier League action.

They began with defeat to Spain on Saturday, then play Czech Republic on Tuesday, before taking on Croatia this coming Saturday and the Czechs again next Tuesday.

It is a busy time and comes after a long World Cup over the summer, which saw pre-seasons cut short and players starting their league campaigns with little rest.

Less football on the telly? Read about it instead

Our exclusive football newsletter cuts through the noise to deliver analysis and gossip straight to your inbox every week. Sign up now for free.

Understandably there will be plenty of club managers hoping that their players are not involved in all four games over the international break, but Tuchel says their feelings are not his concern.

The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss says he never contacted an international manager to make a request for a player and he does not intend to take any calls in his current position.

‘I don’t take calls from Premier League managers. I never called any national team coach. It is what it is,’ said the England boss.

Harry Kane rarely misses an England game (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I cannot manage the players. It’s just impossible. I knew as a club coach, when I was on the other side, that I had this example many times.

‘If I would call a coach in Brazil or Argentina, they would not know what I am talking about. The players would not know what I am talking about.

‘So why would I do this and start giving the players the impression that it’s okay to take a step back or share a half or to rest one match? Why would I? I would never. It’s madness. We want to win the next match.’

There were a number of withdrawals from Tuchel’s squad for this set of Nations League matches, with the manager warning those that miss a lot of international action, that their chances of returning will diminish.

Cole Palmer was left out of the World Cup squad over the summer and pulled out of the current squad, with Tuchel saying the Chelsea star has missed an opportunity.

Cole Palmer has started the season in good form but pulled out of the England squad (Picture: REUTERS)

‘For sure it’s a missed opportunity,’ said Tuchel. ‘It’s another missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities, and I don’t blame him for it. It’s just the fact. He misses way too many camps with injuries and I only want to rely on what I personally witness and what I see within my team, and for that you have to be in camp.

‘If you’re not in camp, there’s a next level to impress that you cannot achieve because you only can do it when you’re actually with me on the pitch and with us on the pitch so, yeah, it is a missed opportunity.

‘My understanding is that he plays with discomfort and pain, and he cannot compete on the highest level with discomfort and pain, so he withdrew and informed us and Chelsea informed us. That is my that is my understanding.’

Comments Add as preferred source