Man City being relegated would be worst possible end to Liverpool rivalry - here's why

Judgment day for Manchester City is approaching. It has been accused of breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations for a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018, and it has been revealed today that the hearing will begin on Monday.

It will take a long time before we know if they are deemed innocent or guilty. The best estimate for a verdict is spring next year. If City receive a punishment, it would be a shock if it did not appeal.

There are various potential penalties the four-time defending Premier League champion could suffer, from a fine through to a points deduction and possibly even relegation . Rival supporters who have grown weary of the Citizens’ dominance of English football would take great glee from seeing them demoted to the Championship . However, this would be a deeply unsatisfactory way for the rivalry between Liverpool and City to end.

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In the 21 ^st Century, the Premier League title race has been settled by one point or goal difference on four occasions, with City the victor on three of them. The Sergio Aguero goal which saw off Manchester United ’s challenge in 2011/12 likely had many Reds fans cheering at the time. They were far unhappier when it was Liverpool that missed out by a point to the Cityzens in both 2018/19 and 2021/22.

If City is found guilty of breaking the rules for nine years from 2009, it was still benefiting from that wrongdoing when winning the Premier League directly at the Reds’ expense. Yet no punishment it suffers now can make up for that. Liverpool won’t suddenly have two more league titles that it deserved through its clever business off the pitch and devastating football on it.

Even if they were retrospectively awarded, and that feels hugely unlikely, those trophy wins would feel deeply hollow. There’s no big party for a title from six years ago that is retrospectively awarded in a courtroom.

And the same emptiness would apply if City were relegated. Sure, you’d have some fun on social media for a day or two. But it wouldn’t feel the same as beating the big bad sky-blue wolf on the pitch.

City would be like Tatyana Kazankina, the Russian runner who won three Olympic gold medals before having her career ended by refusing to undertake a drugs test. She’s still in the record books as a three-time champion yet can anyone take her previous achievements seriously?

Liverpool shouldn’t hope for City to be demoted to the second tier. Fines? Transfer embargoes? Points deductions? Sure. But beyond that, let’s have a fair fight and see which club is the better. Our money’s in the red corner.