Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has expressed his opinion on the potential sanctions against Manchester City, who were found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League. Rooney believes that Manchester United should not be awarded Premier League titles if City are stripped of them due to financial rule breaches. He thinks that City's players have done everything they can to win the title and that Manchester United did not deserve to win the league in the 2011-12 season when they finished runners-up to City.
Manchester City were accused of breaching financial rules between 2009-10 and 2017-18 and of failing to co-operate with Premier League investigations between December 2018 and February 2023. The club plans to appeal against the decision, but one possible sanction is for City to be stripped of top-flight titles. City have won the Premier League eight times since Sheikh Mansour's takeover in 2009, with three of those titles coming during the period covered by the financial allegations.
Rooney's opinion differs from that of his former Manchester United team-mates Rio Ferdinand and David de Gea, who suggested on social media that they should be awarded retrospective title wins. However, Rooney said he is satisfied with the five Premier League medals he has already won and would not want to receive a title retrospectively. He thinks that accepting a medal for finishing second would not be comfortable for him.
Rooney expressed his concerns about the potential impact of stripping City of their titles on the players. He said that if he were in their shoes and his team had been doing the same, he would be devastated if his medals were taken away. Rooney emphasized that he is not advocating for City to be let off lightly, but rather that he wants to see a fair punishment.
While Rooney does not want Manchester United to be awarded City's titles, he believes that the reigning champions should face relegation. He thinks that City should be relegated to the lowest league possible and face restrictions on their spending for several seasons. Rooney suggested that a 20-point deduction for several years could make it difficult for City to attract and retain players.
Rooney's proposed punishment for City is severe, but he thinks it would be an effective deterrent. He emphasized that simply relegating City to the Championship would not be enough, as they would likely come back up quickly. Rooney wants to see a more significant impact on the club's ability to compete in the future.
The potential sanctions against Manchester City are still being discussed, and the club plans to appeal against the decision. Rooney's opinions on the matter reflect his experience as a player and his understanding of the potential consequences for the club and its players. The final decision on City's punishment has yet to be announced.
Key points
- Rooney believes Manchester United shouldn't be awarded Premier League titles if Manchester City are stripped of them.
- Rooney thinks Manchester City should face relegation as punishment for financial rule breaches.
- Rooney proposes severe restrictions on City's spending for several seasons to prevent them from quickly recovering.
