Manchester City appeal amid reported relegation penalty

Manchester City has appealed an independent commission’s finding that it breached Premier League financial rules, while a reported sanction scenario could include a points deduction large enough to send the club to the Championship. No sanction has been announced, and the appeal remains unresolved. The club maintains that it is innocent and is seeking to overturn the commission’s decision. The reports say the Premier League is pressing to announce a punishment before the appeal outcome, but that timetable and the proposed penalties have not been confirmed by the league. The reported scenario comes from a single account attributed to insiders. It describes a substantial points deduction and a large fine as the likeliest penalties if the finding stands. A further deduction could keep City in the Championship for at least another season, according to that account. The English Football League would not be required to apply such an additional penalty. The reports also describe expulsion from the Premier League as unlikely. One account says expulsion could place the club outside the ordinary route into the English Football League, while others characterize the prospect as disruptive...