Who Steps Up to Claim the Crown? The Clubs Set to Inherit Premier League Titles If Man City Face the Ultimate Punishment

English football was rocked on Friday as the verdict of the Premier League's lengthy investigation into Manchester City's alleged financial rule-breaking was announced.

The Cityzens have reportedly been found guilty of 114 violations of financial fair play regulations between 2009 and 2018, despite continuously maintaining their innocence.

The club intends to appeal the ruling, meaning a definitive penalty will be postponed, but widespread speculation suggests they could be stripped of the three Premier League titles claimed during the nine-year period of alleged wrongdoing.

Should such severe consequences be imposed, one critical question arises: Will City simply be required to relinquish their titles, or will the clubs that finished behind them in the relevant seasons be retroactively declared champions?

Which Clubs Could Retrospectively Win Premier League Titles?

While City's stranglehold on English football under Pep Guardiola was built on seemingly compromised foundations, the general assumption is that only Premier League titles won between 2009 and 2018 could be reassigned.

In that scenario, the league titles City claimed at the conclusion of the 2011–12, 2013–14 and 2017–18 seasons would be affected.

The club's maiden Premier League trophy was secured in 2011–12 following the most extraordinary moment in the competition's history. Sergio Agüero's iconic stoppage-time winner on the final day of the season handed Roberto Mancini and his squad the title on goal difference alone.

Finishing as heartbroken runners-up to City that season were local rivals Manchester United, who could potentially benefit from the sanctions imposed on their bitter opponents. In this alternative scenario, Sir Alex Ferguson would add a 14th Premier League title to his remarkable record.

Man Utd would in fact move to 15 Premier League titles in total, having also finished second during the 2017–18 season under José Mourinho—despite ending up 19 points adrift of City's record-breaking centurions.

Liverpool would also add a third Premier League title to their collection after finishing just short of Manuel Pellegrini's Cityzens in the 2013–14 season. The side led by Brendan Rodgers and inspired by the brilliance of Luis Suárez ended up only two points behind the champions.

It should be noted, however, that City being stripped of their Premier League titles seems highly unlikely—and even less probable is the possibility of them being forced to give up trophies won after 2018. Guardiola orchestrated five further Premier League triumphs between 2019 and 2024.

Should City lose those titles as well, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd would all stand to gain.

Jürgen Klopp's Reds would be awarded two additional trophies for the 2018–19 and 2021–22 seasons, Ole Gunnar Solskjær's United would be named 2020–21 champions, and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal would be crowned winners in both 2022–23 and 2023–24.

Every Premier League Title Won By Man City