Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville issue Man City ultimatum over FFP allegations

A total of 115 charges were brought against City earlier this year following a lengthy investigation into their finances between 2009 and 2018. The club have denied any wrongdoing.

Following their third successive league title triumph, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have told the parties involved to resolve the issue “as soon as possible”.

Former Liverpool star Carragher told Monday Night Football: “Man City are right to defend themselves and say they are innocent of all charges. But if you are innocent why don’t people stop? to say that they don’t care, that it will last two to four years?

“Man City don’t want it, their fans don’t want it. The Premier League don’t want it.

“It’s not right when we’re talking about one of the greatest Premier League teams we’ve ever seen, and (greatest) managers, that there’s this kind of asterisk in- on it until it’s fixed.

“My message to Manchester City would be: this needs to be sorted. Sooner than later, just for your own reputation.

“Because there’s no doubt about it, if City are guilty, then all these things that we’re talking about will be tainted. As far as Pep Guardiola is concerned, to get to the point of seducing him – the best manager in his category they could get – they brought him to the club on the back of (which led to) these accusations.

“These need to respond as soon as possible and we can’t wait two to four years because it’s just a mess for Man City and also for everyone else in the Premier League.”

Neville, formerly of Manchester United and England, insisted he had a “real problem” with FFP as a tool to protect “the established elite”.

However, he agreed a decision should be made soon for the good of City and the Premier League.

He said: “If the rules are in place, you have to follow them. There is no doubt that for the owners and managers of Man City, if some of the most serious charges were brought and proven guilty, the damage would be long standing and tainted.

“However, on the other hand, if the Premier League did not see through these accusations, the damage to its executive would be just as lasting.

“There is a moment of huge pressure coming in the next couple of years and it really isn’t going away until it’s sorted out.

“I must say that of course we need due process, but this is a sporting situation and not a criminal one – let’s get this done and try to close it as quickly as possible.”