Manchester City fined £2M for what they did to 'Arsenal'

Manchester City has been hit with a hefty £2 million fine by the Premier League for repeatedly breaching kick-off and restart regulations.

The reigning champions, led by Pep Guardiola, were found guilty of starting matches late on 22 occasions over the past two seasons, including their title-winning campaigns ahead of rivals Arsenal.

According to a Premier League statement, the fine comes after City admitted to violating Rule L.33, which mandates punctual kick-off and restart timings. The infractions occurred during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, prompting the league to impose the financial penalty.

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While the sanction does not affect City’s standings, it serves as a stern reminder of the importance of adhering to match protocols. As the club looks ahead to future campaigns, this fine underscores the need for timeliness, both on and off the pitch.

Aside the kick-off breaches, the Premier League Champions also face 115 charges of financial fair play breaches which is still undecided as the new premier league season is about to kick into full gear in just 2-weeks from now.

It is uncertain to determine how the kick-off breaches by Man City may have affected the league table, but for the premier league side to face sanctions from the league itself, it spells how serious such offences are, especially for the integrity of the English First Division.