Manchester City and Abu Dhabi owners called out after latest Everton saga
Ian Herbet has called for an “outcry” over Manchester City and their Abu Dhabi owners for their financial fair play charges, after the saga surrounding Everton and their point deduction.
The Toffees were deducted 10 points by an independent commission having been adjudged to have broken the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, leaving them in the bottom three and facing the prospect of relegation.
While the drama at Goodison Park has been playing out, Manchester City’s 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s rules have yet to be punished, with Herbert revealing that City had taken action to prevent publisher’s rights to report.
Writing in the Scottish Daily Mail (6 December, page 68) he said: “Where is the outcry over City charges?
“With Everton deducted 10 points for failing to act with the utmost good faith and the world moving on, let’s reflect on the lengths to which Manchester City and their Abu Dhabi owners have gone to string out an investigation into the way in they allegedly inflated the size of state-financed sponsorship deals.
“City employed barristers to challenge that process, arguing the arbitrators would be biased against them. A judge ruled against them. City employed barristers to challenge this publisher’s right to report that judge’s conclusions and its right to be in court when a decision of publication was being made.
“Amid the handwriting and pontificating about Everton, where is the indignation about City and Abu Dhabi?”
One rule for one
It seems that Manchester City have done everything in their power to delay its punishment and attempt to stop news outlets from reporting about their case, but no matter what they try people keep talking about the alleged breaches at the Etihad.
Most of that has been as a result of the punishment given to Everton in recent weeks. The Toffees’ punishment has been viewed as incredibly extreme for one breach of the Premier League’s rules, especially when the champions have been unpunished for 115 alleged breaches.
However, there has been plenty of outrage from Everton supporters and media outlets around the country over the approach of Manchester City throughout this process so it is strange of Herbert to question where the outrage has been.
Hopefully, the Premier League will be just as harsh in their punishment of City as they were to Everton, they have supposedly changed their approach to dealing with teams that breach their rules, but the proof will be in the pudding.
In other Everton news, one lawyer has suggested the Toffees’ compensation plan could lead to catastrophe at Goodison Park