Premier League 2026, EPL, Manchester City latest: Jesse Marsch speaks over cheating and Erling Haaland transfer
Former Premier League manager Jesse Marsch has claimed "everyone knew" about Manchester City's rampant flouting of league rules, asworld football's most shocking cheating scandalrumbles on. City are facing hefty sanctions, including major points deductions, relegation from the top flight and having the club's powerful Saudi owners removed, after the league alleged they used "sham" contracts to inflate their revenue and underline their costs by billions of dollars over nearly a decade.
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While City have launched an appeal, Marsch, who formerly managed Premier League rivals Leeds United, told The Guardian that knowledge of the club's cheating was widespread, if unspoken. "I think Man City should be punished severely," he said.
"I think they should have to go down, and by the way, everyone knew about it." Now managing the Canadian men's national team, Marsch, who was sacked by Leeds in early 2023 with the club about to be relegated to the Championship, said City's claims of profit during his time in charge aroused suspicion. Man City appeal financial charges | 01:08 In the same City won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
"That summer (2022), us and Man City were the only teams that said we made money," he said. "For us, we did make money, because we sold Raphinha, we sold Kalvin Phillips.
We had a lot left over from what we bought. At the time, we weren't in a position financially to not save.
Our ownership didn't have deep pockets. Whereas when Man City says this, I was literally like, 'Are you kidding me?
Is this some kind of joke?'" Adding to Marsch's anger is City's signing of star striker Erling Haaland, who Leeds had also pursued. "When they said they got Erling Haaland for £52m, it's like: 'Yeah, OK, sure!'" he said.
You just put your arms in the air and go, 'This is football'.