Premier League · Liverpool vs Man City · 2026-09-30 15:01 UTC
Legal experts say Manchester City faces an uphill battle overturning the independent commission's ruling on appeal.
Polymarket when the story was published: Liverpool 38% · Draw 26% · Man City 39%
Given the extensive and detailed findings of fact made by the commission, it could prove difficult for Manchester City to overturn the ruling. Alex Goodchild, a sports lawyer at Bray and Krais, told The Athletic that, while the league’s rules do not expressly set out the standard of review on appeal, decisions of the appeal board in previous cases involving Everton and Nottingham Forest are a helpful guide. “It is generally very hard to overturn the commission’s decision on findings and conclusions of fact, because the commission has the advantage of assessing witness evidence first-hand,” Goodchild said. “On the other hand, the appeal board must set aside a decision if, ‘It had made a material error of law which may have affected its ultimate decision, or if it acted in a way that was procedurally unfair’. “The appeal board in Everton’s case identified that errors of law include, ‘An error in approach; taking into account something which, as a matter of law, should not have been taken into account, and failing to take into account something which, as a matter of law, should have been taken into account’.” 🔗
Source: @TheAthleticFC on X