As always, the start of the new Premier League season brings with it a series of intriguing questions for English football’s leading clubs. Can Arsenal improve again and finally get over the line? Will Chelsea continue to be a circus? Can the optimistic mood last at Tottenham? Et cetera.
For champions Manchester City, however, the uncertainty as they begin their push for an unprecedented fifth straight league title at Chelsea on Sunday is altogether more existential.
City’s hearing into their alleged 115 breaches of Premier League rules is, according to reports, finally expected to be heard by an independent commission in September, with an outcome likely at the start of next year.
The result is all-but guaranteed to send shockwaves through the top-flight, which are likely to be felt throughout the wider game at home and abroad.
If City are found guilty, relegation is among the possible punishments (they begin the season favourites for a seventh title in eight seasons with the bookies but as low as 8-1 to go down), which would have an enormous impact on the English pyramid.
There would also surely be consequences for the club’s Abu Dhabi ownership and those in leadership positions at the Etihad Stadium. If the champions are cleared, however, the repercussions would fall on the league’s executives and leave the competition’s rules in disarray, surely no longer fit for purpose.
It is an almighty decision, which makes this likely to be the most controversial Premier League season in history, not least because the top-flight has been counter-sued by City over its sponsorship rules (a case which is likely to be resolved before the 115 charges) and also has outstanding legal cases against Leicester, Everton and Chelsea.
With such an enormous faultline coming for City, another question is whether head coach Pep Guardiola and his side can continue to maintain such remarkable standards on pitch. Will the rampant uncertainty over City’s very existence as we know it finally impact the team?
But then, a version of “can City go again?” has felt like a pertinent question before each of the past few campaigns.
This time last year, it was easy to wonder if City would be able to maintain their levels after winning an historic treble. As Guardiola predicted, they could not match the feat but still had enough to finish above an outstanding Arsenal side to win another title. They have always found a way.
City have now won two championships since the charges were brought against them and such is their brilliance under Guardiola, only a fool would doubt them now, even with such a seismic rupture set to fall midway through the campaign.
There are, though, reasons for optimism for the challengers, of which Arsenal again seem the likeliest to push City hard again. Guardiola is in the final year of his deal and has been vague about the prospect of extending it beyond a ninth season in charge. Kevin de Bruyne, too, is out of contract at the end of the season and has opened the door to a move to Saudi Arabia, while goalkeeper Ederson also faces an uncertain future, despite agreeing to stay at City for this year following interest from the Gulf state.
All empires fall eventually and the most relevant question of all for City’s future is whether they will be brought down by legal action caused by their own rule breaking, the departure of Guardiola or perhaps before then, by a rival who finally finds a way to beat them.
