Man City should accept punishment for rule breaches, says Lineker

Manchester City should acknowledge their violations of the Premier League’s financial regulations and accept any consequences, according to former England captain Gary Lineker. The club was found guilty of breaching rules over nine seasons, from 2009-10 to 2017-18, along with three out of four charges related to cooperation with the investigation.

The league accused City of using fraudulent commercial contracts to inflate revenue and underplay expenses by more than £900 million over nearly a decade, during which they won several trophies. Despite appealing the ruling, Lineker believes admitting to their mistakes would help mend the club's reputation and salvage the situation.

He stated that the whole ordeal is damaging for both Manchester City and the English game, expressing sympathy for the fans and players involved. Lineker did not rule out the possibility of the club being stripped of the three Premier League titles they won during the disputed period, but added that the real losers in such a scenario would be the players and fans.

The appeal against the decision will be conducted privately, and it remains uncertain whether any sanctions will be announced before the hearing or if they would take immediate effect. Currently sitting atop the Premier League standings with 15 points from five games, City are aiming for their sixth consecutive victory against Liverpool on Sunday.