Could the English Premier League actually expel Manchester City? The defending champions have long-faced allegations of violations of financial fair play rules and have resisted attempts to investigate their dealings.
The hearing to decide this started on Monday and is being held in a secret location, with significant confidentiality provisions in place.
The hearing is scheduled to last about three months, and the decision is not likely to come down until 2025.
Legal challenges may continue despite 115 charges against the club for deceptive spending. City is accused of breaking financial competition rules to gain an unfair advantage over the league.
Evidence started leaking out in 2018, and City has responded by challenging the legality of the rules it is accused of breaking.
Expulsion is unlikely, but points deductions could result that could keep the side from winning the EPL again. City has been the league champion since 2021.
As we head into Matchday 5, check out our top sports betting picks.
Soccer Odds & Betting Analysis: Premier League Betting Matchday 5, 2024/25 Season
Tottenham Hotspur -182 vs Brentford +400
When: Saturday, September 21, 10:00 am ET
Premier League Odds for Draw +350, O/U 3.5
Both teams come in on the momentum of wins over lower-division sides in the EFL Cup. Spurs struggled against Coventry City but scuffled to a 2-1 win. The Bees skated past Leyton Orient, 3-1. Spurs gave up an early strike from Brandon Thomas-Asante, but some late substitutes paid off as Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson found the back of the net. The attacking was uninspired for most of the match, but this comeback might be the spark that leads the team to an offensive run. Last week in EPL play, Spurs hosted an Arsenal team down some key players due to injury.
Even so, Tottenham permitted a set-piece tally from Gabriel Magalhaes in the second half. Since the start of last season, Spurs have permitted 25 EPL goals off set-pieces, and now they are in 13th place.
Brentford also had to come back from a 1-0 deficit against Leyton Orient after permitting a goal in the 11th minute. However, it only took six minutes for Fabio Carvalho to get the equalizer with a highlight-reel overhead kick. Mikkel Damsgaard gave the Bees the lead with a header, and then Christian Norgaard added the insurance goal.
Brentford are still perfect at home this season, with wins already on the books against Crystal Palace and Southampton. On the road, though, Brentford are still looking for their first point in three attempts, but their first two away tilts have been tough (at Liverpool and at City). Brentford took an early lead on City before Erling Haaland posted a brace for the Citizens.
The last time Brentford visited Tottenham, they lost, 3-2; the last four meetings between the two sides have featured 17 combined goals. I like Brentford’s surge, and I’m not convinced that two goals in the last few minutes will turn around the season for Spurs.
EPL Pick: Take the draw and the over.
^Manchester City -127 vs Arsenal +330
When:Sunday, September 22, 11:30 am ET
Premier League Odds for Draw +260, O/U 2.5
Arsenal have pushed City hard the last two years, almost wresting the EPL title away. In 2023-24, they finished just two points back with the race not ending until the last matchday. In 2022-23, they held the lead for most of the season before falling off the table near the end and ending up five points under City. City will not have defender Nathan Ake, who went down to injury while playing for the Netherlands.
Rodri came off the bench in the victory over Brentford and could find himself back in the XI. Kevin De Bruyne is doubtful after having to come off at halftime in Champions League play with Inter Milan on Wednesday. City have won four of four matches, and their unbeaten streak is now 27 matches.
They began with an easy win at Chelsea, rolled over Ipswich Town and West Ham, and then just scraped by Brentford despite conceding that opener just 22 seconds in. They did play to a scoreless draw with Inter on Wednesday.
Arsenal will not have Martin Odegaard (ankle). Riccardo Calafiori also missed the Gunners’ win over Tottenham but is questionable. Declan Rice served his red-card suspension against Brighton and will return ro take on City. Arsenal are one of the few sides that have figured out how to deal with Erling Haaland. He has nine goals in four games so far, including a pair of hat tricks, but he did not score at all in either meeting with Arsenal last year. The Gunners’ defensive record was the tops in the EPL.
Arsenal have three wins and a draw to start the campaign. Road wins against Aston Villa and Tottenham were impressive; the only real letdown was the 1-1 home draw to Brighton. That tally is the only one they have permitted in four EPL matches.
EPL Pick: Man City to win, take the under.
^Premier League Betting Mathday 5
- West Ham vs Chelsea: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 7:30 AM
- Aston Villa vs Wolves: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:00 AM
- Fulham vs Newcastle: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:00 AM
- Leicester vs Everton: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:00 AM
- Liverpool vs Bournemouth: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:00 AM
- Southampton vs Ispwich: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 10:00 AM
- Crystal Palace vs Man U: Sunday, September 22, 2024, 12:30 AM
- Brighton vs Nottingham Forest: Sunday, September 22, 2024, 11:30 AM
EPL 2024/25 Odds to Win it All
- Manchester City -123
- Arsenal FC +173
- Liverpool FC +690
- Chelsea FC +2900
- Newcastle United +3100
- Manchester United +4400
- Aston Villa +5800
- Tottenham Hotspur +5800
- Brighton +13000
- West Ham United +19000
- Crystal Palace +44000
- Fulham FC +46000
- AFC Bournemouth +46000
- Brentford FC +65000
- Nottingham Forest +85000
- Everton FC +90000
- Leicester City +125000
- Ipswich Town +125000
- Wolverhampton Wanderers +125000
- Southampton FC +125000
Our early frontrunners 👀 pic.twitter.com/oDiBALAFut
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 16, 2024
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