Manchester City face points deduction but League Two relegation ruled out

Manchester City are expected to avoid relegation to League Two despite facing a severe punishment for multiple breaches of financial regulations, with a substantial points deduction and a large fine considered the most likely outcome.

The Premier League is understood to want the sanction announced before the club’s appeal is decided, according to a report in the Daily Mail. Manchester City appealed after an independent commission found the club guilty.

A verdict in the appeal is unlikely to be delivered before the end of January. That delay has led to discussions about whether the punishment could be imposed first, rather than waiting for the appeal process to conclude.

Sources cited by the newspaper say the most probable sanction is a significant points deduction, one that would send Manchester City into the Championship for at least one season. The club could also receive a substantial financial penalty.

The scale of any points deduction could mean Manchester City spend several seasons in the second tier, rather than returning to the Premier League after only one campaign.

However, the club will not be relegated to League Two, the fourth tier of English football.