Manchester City‘s rivals have been accused of hypocrisy by the club’s most famous supporter, after an independent commission found the Cityzens guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.
The ruling, which covers alleged financial breaches between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, lands at a sensitive moment for City, who sit top of the table in Enzo Maresca’s first campaign as head coach since replacing Pep Guardiola in the summer.
Liam Gallagher, never one to shy away from a public pronouncement, used his social media platform to redirect the criticism elsewhere.
Posting to his 3.8 million followers, Gallagher argued that the anger being aimed at City should instead be pointed at Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, dismissing those clubs as the real wrongdoers.
In a characteristically colourful aside, he likened City’s position to that of a martyr, writing that the club were ready to “die on the cross” for the good of the rest of the league.
“All this hatred directed at Man City from other clubs should be directed at Arsenal Man United Liverpool. There the 1s who are corrupt and trying to stop other teams from winning things not Man City were trying to help you all out we’re like Jesus prepared to die on the cross,” he said, according to The Mirror
It is not the first time a Gallagher has rushed to the defence of the club. Liam’s brother and former Oasis bandmate Noel has made similar interventions before, telling The Athletic that branding City as cheats has become little more than a coping mechanism for rival fans.
Club maintains its innocence
City have consistently rejected the allegations since they were laid out by the Premier League in February 2023, following a four-year investigation. The club says it holds “a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” to support its case and has described itself as “innocent of the accusations.”
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has sought to reassure supporters since the verdict broke, and City have lodged a formal appeal through the league’s internal process. A club spokesperson said its position “remains consistent” with the statement issued when the charges were first announced.
The scale of the ruling is unprecedented in English football. The commission upheld all but one of the 115 charges, covering claims that City failed to provide accurate financial information across nine seasons, concealed payments to players and managers, and did not fully cooperate with the investigation.
At the case’s core is the allegation that ownership funding was disguised as sponsorship income to satisfy Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Maresca refuses to be distracted
For new head coach Enzo Maresca, the timing could hardly be more awkward. The Italian has repeatedly declined to be drawn into the saga, insisting his focus is on results rather than legal proceedings.
No sanction has yet been determined, with the process still to run its course through appeal. Theoretically the Premier League retains the power to impose penalties ranging from a fine to a historic points deduction, or even expulsion.
