Graeme Souness has suggested Liverpool should be considered for Premier League titles if Manchester City are found guilty of financial rule breaches and have their titles stripped.
The former Liverpool player and manager believes that a financial penalty alone wouldn't be sufficient punishment for City, especially given the close title races they had with Liverpool. Souness highlighted the 2013/14, 2018/19, and 2021/22 seasons where Liverpool finished just behind City, losing by a combined four points.
The debate surrounding potential punishments has intensified since the Premier League confirmed that an independent commission found City guilty of numerous financial breaches between 2009/10 and 2017/18, along with charges for failing to cooperate with the investigation. Manchester City has denied any wrongdoing and plans to appeal the findings.
Speaking on Talk Radio, Souness argued that if City are found guilty, their achievements during the period in question should be nullified. "The legacy is gone," he stated. "If it goes the wrong way for them, they’ll be consigned to history as cheats, and whatever they did, whatever they won in that period, should not count." He specifically mentioned that Liverpool could have a strong case for being awarded a couple of Premier League titles.
It's important to note that the confirmed breaches relate to the 2009/10 through 2017/18 period. This means City's 2013/14 title falls within this timeframe, while their championships from 2018/19 and 2021/22 occurred later. However, the Premier League has not yet announced any sanctions, with potential penalties including fines, points deductions, or even relegation.
While Souness's comments raise a point Liverpool fans might echo, the process of stripping titles and awarding them retrospectively is complex and not guaranteed. The Premier League's sanctions hearing and City's subsequent appeal will ultimately determine the extent of any punishment and whether past trophies become part of it.
