On Monday, the Premier League went to war with its serial champions Manchester City,

charging them with over 100 alleged breaches of its financial rules.

It marked the end of a four-year investigation.

But what is rule, W51, And could City suffer a point's deduction this

season or even be stripped of past titles? I'm Mark Chapman and welcome to the Athletic Football

podcast. I believe because I said to them, if you lie it to me,

the day after I'm not here,

I would be out and I will not be my friend anymore.

So with us for this one,

our Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee

and senior football news reporter Matt Slater.

Let's start with the charges, Matt. Very simple. What have they charged with? How far back to

the allegations go and why now? Okay, well, look, there's lots of charges, over 100. And they

kind of break down into sort of groups, really. The first group is all around Manchester City not providing

accurate reports, financial accounts. So they haven't been honest and transparent with the league.

And that goes all the way back to season 2009, 10, up to 2017-18. And in each of those seasons, there are about five or six breaches, all related to the

same thing, that you have not provided accurate financial information that gives a true

and fair picture of the club's financial position.

And that, of course, is all related to the, you have to go all the way back to the

Spiegel and the Football League stuff

and the inflated sponsorships and disguised costs.

But it is all around you have not provided accurate accounts.

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