Sky Sports issues apology to Manchester City after comments made by pundit live on air concerning ‘rules’ | OneFootball

Manchester City have been handed a direct and live-on-air apology from Sky Sports following a comment made by one of their pundits over the weekend.

The Premier League champions continue to face uncertainty over their future in regards to the 115 charges of alleged financial rule breaches placed upon them by the English top-flight back in February 2023.

In the years that have passed since the charges were first handed to City and made public, the Etihad club have maintained their stance first issued almost two years ago, when the club not only said that they were “surprised” but are also supported by a “body of irrefutable evidence”.

In a statement released in light of the charges, City official penned, “Manchester City is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.

“The club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position. As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”

And while an official verdict is expected to land in the coming weeks and months, controversy continues to emerge in mainstream media through lazy comments issued by ex-footballers and pundits.

Speaking on Gillette Soccer Saturday over the course of the weekend, former Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood appeared to take a jibe at Manchester City and their ongoing case with the Premier League and the widely-renowned 115 charges.

In a direct reference to the club’s spending and the aforementioned alleged breaches of financial rules, Sherwood claimed that Pep Guardiola’s side “play by their own rules”, and the broadcaster did not hesitate to issue an apology shortly afterwards.

Presenter Simon Thomas explained after a short break on the show to state, “Welcome back, before we get underway, the whistles going around the country, we had a conversation earlier today in the build up about Manchester City, their transfer business.

“There was a comment made about Man City and the rules. I just want to say that they are absolutely not the views of Sky Sports and we apologise to Manchester City for those comments.”

The hearing involving the Premier League and Manchester City over the aforementioned financial charges came to a conclusion on Friday 6 December, having started on 16 September 2024 and lasting around 12 weeks.

The clash between legal heavyweights was held at the International Dispute Resolution Centre near St Paul’s in London, and having now concluded, reports have indicated that a decision is expected in the spring, most likely around March.

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola himself told a press conference towards the end of December that the club expect to find out the outcome of the 115 charges hearing against the Premier League around February to March, 2025.