What Arsenal would actually win if Man City are stripped of titles

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Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges brought against them by the Premier League over serious breaches of its financial regulations, and the conversation has immediately turned to what punishment follows.

The verdict was delivered by an independent commission on Tuesday, 29 September, bringing to a close a legal process that has spanned several years. The outcome had first been reported by The Athletic on 25 September.

The breaches relate to the period between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons — a nine-year window in which City won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three League Cups and one Community Shield.

Sanctions still to be decided

The Premier League has confirmed that the question of sanction will be addressed separately at a further hearing with the independent commission. A wide range of outcomes are said to be on the table, from substantial fines to points deductions, and in the most extreme scenarios expulsion from the Premier League or the retrospective stripping of titles.

City retain the right to appeal and have until 2 October to do so. The club insist they will fight the findings "on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe".

That last possibility — trophies being taken away and reallocated — is what has dominated discussion among Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United supporters online since the verdict landed.

Where Arsenal would stand

The reality is less dramatic than some Gooners may have hoped. According to Standard Sport, Arsenal would not be awarded a single retrospective Premier League title, because the seasons in which the Gunners finished runners-up to City do not fall within the period under investigation.

What Arsenal would gain is a League Cup. Arsene Wenger's side were beaten 3-0 by City in the 2017-18 final at Wembley, a season that sits inside the investigated window.

Liverpool would be in a similar position. The Reds' near-miss in the title race came in 2013-14 under Brendan Rodgers, but the same report notes they would pick up the 2015-16 League Cup, having lost that final on penalties to a City side managed by Manuel Pellegrini.

Manchester United are positioned as the biggest beneficiaries. They finished runners-up to City in both 2009-10 and 2017-18, meaning two league titles would be redirected to Old Trafford. Rio Ferdinand has already been vocal on X about that prospect, including making the case on behalf of Jose Mourinho, who has long defended his second-placed finish in 2017-18.

For now, all of this remains hypothetical. The guilty verdict is established, but the sanction is not, and City's appeal window remains open until Friday. The independent commission's next hearing will determine whether any of these scenarios move beyond social media debate.