JACK GAUGHAN: City’s response to their Premier League charge will likely be left to Pep Guardiola

Erling Haaland’s top had just been swirling above his head and Manchester City leapfrogged Arsenal at the Premier League’s summit. Fulham were beaten by an injury-time penalty, City a man light for over an hour after Joao Cancelo’s sending off.

On Bonfire Night, the champions looked ready to explode on a run that would skewer the rest. Pep Guardiola walked into the dressing room and gave one of those famed rousing speeches. 

He told his players that they had produced one of the finest displays of his tenure. Those present described the scenes as ’emotional’ and felt it was a season-defining moment. Guardiola went on to sign a new contract.

But what defines this latest title defence came in the space of 16 hours, through Sunday into Monday morning. Horrible at Tottenham – slow, ponderous, gifting the winner – and then that thunderbolt of a statement, dropped on the Premier League’s website without prior warning.

If this plays out like the litany of controversies surrounding City in recent years then Guardiola will be thrust forward. There was a strong, and slightly terse, club statement within two hours on Monday and they will robustly defend their position with confidence of vindication. But if their reaction to the UEFA charges in 2020 is anything to go by, we will not hear much from the boardroom.

Erling Haaland swung his top around his after he helped Manchester City leapfrog Arsenal at the Premier League’s summit in November 2022

 The Premier League champions looked ready to explode on a run that would skewer the rest

Pep Guardiola walked into the dressing room and gave one of those famed rousing speeches before signing a new deal with Man City – committing his future until 2025 

Then, chief executive Ferran Soriano – who rarely ever talks unless abroad or at a business conference – gave a short club-produced interview, several days after they were banned from European competition and hours ahead of Guardiola’s first outing since the news. As for the others, chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak does an end-of-season address with the club’s website. Sheikh Mansour is never seen.

So the bulk will likely be left to Guardiola. Again. Forced to sit there and take it as a club spokesman as the world’s wagons circle once more. 

A club spokesman who was not employed by them when the majority of charges allegedly took place. Just as it was regarding UEFA’s sanctions and subsequent appeal. Just as it was regarding Barry Bennell’s horrific crimes and City’s link to the paedophile.

Remember the question put to him at Wembley after City had lifted the FA Cup in 2019? It centred on allegations of where exactly Roberto Mancini’s salary had come from?

None of the City hierarchy have engaged on the subject and here it is now, front and centre of the Premier League’s charge sheet. Two months after that, there were no executives present on a pre-season tour in China, leaving Guardiola to navigate an overblown yet awkward storm about allegations that City had disrespected the country.

Guardiola loves the club. He says he is an adopted Mancunian. His friends are here, he relishes the north west’s golf courses, enjoys the quiet hustle of the expanding city centre, occasionally weaving through traffic on his bike to work.

He has fiercely defended the board on countless occasions, and even did so as recently as last Friday when asked about Chelsea’s spending. The manager maintained that the financial scrutiny is somehow different when it comes to City – again skewering Premier League rivals who wanted UEFA to impose a European ban on his club – and recited figures to do with City’s diminished net spend.

Now he will be watching developments with interest and it brings into sharp focus something he said last May. ‘Even if people don’t believe me, every single word in my press conferences is what I truly believe,’ Guardiola said. ‘I defend the club and our people because I work with them.

‘When they are accused of something I ask them: ‘Tell me about that.’ They explain and I believe them. I said to them: ‘If you lie to me, the day after, I am not here. I will be out and I will not be your friend any more. 

City have been charged by Premier League over alleged financial breaches 

If they are found guilty, Manchester City could face a points deduction or expulsion

A club spokesman – who was not employed by them when the majority of charges allegedly took place – spoke out. Just as it was regarding Barry Bennell’s horrific crimes

‘I put my faith in you because I believe you 100 per cent from day one and I defend the club because of that.’ I am a big fan to support this organisation, no doubt.’

We will see whether that stance weakens over the coming weeks and months and if City can hand him the sort of assurances required before Guardiola pads up and sticks the helmet on for them again.

Oh, and they have a game on Sunday having lost three of their last eight since that speech after beating Fulham.

If this plays out like the litany of controversies surrounding City in recent years then manager Guardiola (above) will be thrust forward