'Not surprised' - former Liverpool CEO delivers verdict on Man City's 115 FFP charges

Former Liverpool chief executive Peter Moores admitted he is not surprised that Manchester City are being investigated for alleged breaches of financial rules - as the Premier League wouldn't be doing so if they didn't feel it was necessary.

It was in February 2023 that City were charged with breaking 115 profit and sustainability regulations between 2009-2018. In that period, the Etihad Stadium outfit won the Premier League three times - with Liverpool finishing second to City in the 2013-14 season - and are said to have not provided accurate financial information.

A date for City's case to be heard by an independent commission is still to be given although reports have suggested it could be later this year. City have denied any wrongdoing and 'look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all'.

Liverpool supporters are watching carefully if City will face any punishment. They have become arguably the world's best football team, with the Reds finishing second to City in the Premier League in 2019 and 2022 - but did beat Pep Guardiola's side to claim their first league title in 30 years in 2020.

Moores served as CEO at Anfield between February 2017 to June 2020 - with Liverpool's fierce rivalry against City beginning in that time under respective managers Jurgen Klopp and Guardiola.

Moore appeared on talkSPORT on Wednesday morning and was quizzed on City's overhanging charges. And while he took a diplomatic approach when it comes to the subject, he told of his pride in how owners Fenway Sports Group run the Reds in a self-sustainable manner.

Moore said: "I'm proud of what we achieved running our club in a safe self-sustainable manner. Trent [Alexander-Arnold] talked about it and maybe controversially, it does mean more to us. The way that we run our football club, the way that we go all of the way back to Shankly going forward and I learned this from the owners.

"When I started to understand what financial fair play was, I'm a video game [background] guy thrust into this, and John Henry would tell you that they bought the club on the premise that everyone would adhere to rules. I'm not saying anything about anyone else here, I'll make that very clear, but it was absolutely clear that we're going to do this right. We're going to drive our revenues, take full advantage of our global reach and I came up with this phrase that it was very clear from the get-go that we're a club that has a global pulse powered by a massive local heart and that is what Liverpool is. I'm proud of the way Liverpool still to this day is run and how we go about our business. The last few weeks with the academy kids coming through.

"I'm not surprised there are 115 charges because there wouldn't be these charges if there wasn't something the Premier League felt needed investigating. I can't speak for any of these charges. I think you remember the kind of WikiLeak stuff (German magazine Der Spiegel published details of the investigation) that started coming out of Germany a few years ago and that put fuel on the fire. All I can speak for is Liverpool Football Club and its pride in the way that we and now they do business.

"The Premier League has to do what the Premier League has to do. I can't speak for other clubs. I'm glad Everton got a bit of a reprieve, if you look at the table that's probably going to be their salvation. I certainly think football fans want to see fair play on the pitch and off the pitch. I know nothing about the details Manchester City are facing with their 115 charges but speaking as a fan, you want to believe those 11 players on either side, the club has done it the right way. It's a working class sport and it changed 15-20 years ago. Maybe it was [Roman] Abramovich coming in (buying Chelsea in 2003), the oligarchs came in then the oil states came in.

"Man City is a magnificent football club. I go back to the days of going to Maine Road to watch Franny Lee, Mike Somerby, Colin Bell, Mike Doyle and Joe Corrigan in goal - Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison as managers and I've always respected Manchester City. They had tough times when Manchester United were the big dogs, I remember Denis Law backheeling the ball in the net and then putting his head in his hands to send Manchester United down. I've always respected Man City and always enjoyed going to the Etihad, we were always made very welcome. I respect what they have been able to build and have led the way with multi-club ownership. But it's just different."