‘Massive is going to burst’ – as Man City sent FFP warning over looming financial charges

With all the outside pressures they’re under, Manchester City can’t afford to lose to Manchester United in their fight to keep the Premier League title.

Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

With Premier League financial charges hanging over Manchester City like a cloud, former Manchester United assistant manager Rene Meulensteen has warned the club that their troubles are about to explode.

With a two-point lead in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s squad will play in Sunday’s Manchester derby. Just one point separates them from Liverpool at the top of the league, but if Jurgen Klopp’s squad beats Nottingham Forest 4-0 this afternoon, they could make up four points.

Ranked sixth United, meanwhile, will be playing away from home against their rivals and will know that a win for themselves could be pivotal in the race for a spot in the Champions League qualifying round.

Before their match against Manchester United, Man City will be dealing with injury news and anticipated return dates.

Check it out: Erling Haaland, star of Manchester City, warns Manchester United in four words before derby

Meulensteen, who was an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson from 2007 to 2013 and was responsible for 20 Manchester derbies, has now done his part to inflame the opposition camp by bringing up City’s impending financial charges as an additional source of distraction in an already tense title race.

Despite City’s accomplishments under Pep Guardiola’s leadership, the Dutch coach expressed his belief that a huge cloud was looming over the club in an interview with the MEN.

There is the haze surrounding the 115 charges, and eventually, it will burst. Nothing to do with Sunday’s derby; those games are big events in and of themselves. However, nobody can afford to lose this season in the Premier League.

If City lose ground to United on Sunday, Arsenal will have a chance to pass them on Monday night when they travel to Sheffield United. There will be a lot riding on the upcoming home matches against Liverpool (March 10 at Anfield) and Arsenal (March 31 at the Etihad Stadium).

However, City have already battled their way to where they are now, with two trophies under their belts, as well as to be one of the last eight teams in this season’s FA Cup and in the hunt for successive Champions League titles—all while dealing with the unresolved 115 charges.

The official hearing is scheduled to commence around the start of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, so we won’t know the outcome until 2025. But the Premier League has already docked Everton 10 points this season, which they have since reduced to six, and they and Nottingham Forest are both facing additional FFP charges.