Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has admitted he still harbours unresolved questions about Manchester City's financial rule-breaking case, revealing the saga has touched him on a personal level after years spent competing directly against the club.
Manchester City were found guilty by an independent commission of multiple breaches of Premier League financial regulations spanning the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons. The club has since lodged an appeal, and with calls growing from some quarters for City to be stripped of trophies and even relegated, the football world is bracing for a lengthy wait before any final resolution.
Carrick's connection to the case runs deep. He was playing for Sunderland in 2012 when City snatched their maiden Premier League title through Sergio Aguero's dramatic stoppage-time goal. He later featured in Jose Mourinho's United squad when City, under Pep Guardiola, finished above them in 2018, and was on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's coaching staff when the same outcome repeated in 2020-21.
Despite the possibility that titles could eventually be redistributed, Carrick does not believe a retrospective medal could ever replicate what was lost in real time. "In football, the strive to win, the emotion and the feeling about winning, a lot of it is in the moment," he said. "You can't take that back. It's the moment you strive for. That's essentially what we're all in it for. That's the feeling we all crave."
He added that the pursuit of silverware is defined as much by the journey as by the outcome itself. "The beauty of trying to win trophies is a little bit the journey towards it and then the finale," Carrick explained. "Once that's done, there's no getting that back in any direction. I'm not getting blasé about it, but regardless of anything, in any sport in history, if later on you get the medal, it doesn't bring the feeling of when you initially win or you don't."
While stopping short of saying whether titles should ultimately be reassigned, Carrick stressed that clarity is urgently needed for all parties involved. "It's thrown up a lot of questions. Some had answers, some haven't. Certainly, I've got my own questions about it. It's affected me personally in different ways over a period of time," he said, adding that the matter should be settled "as it's still not finalised... The sooner it gets sorted, for everyone's benefit, is essential."
If City's appeal process follows standard Premier League timelines, a hearing could conclude around Christmas Day, with a verdict expected early in 2027.
Other managers have offered differing perspectives. Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, a former Guardiola assistant at City, defended the club outright, saying he trusts its leadership "now, in the future, always" and insisting City's titles are "absolutely not tainted." Liverpool's Andoni Iraola and Chelsea's Xabi Alonso both urged patience while the independent panel completes its work, with Alonso noting the panel should be trusted to "assess all the situations."
Elsewhere, clubs previously punished for financial breaches voiced frustration at perceived inconsistency. Everton boss David Moyes, whose side were docked points in 2023 and 2024, said it was "really difficult" watching unresolved allegations linger elsewhere while his club had already been sanctioned. Nottingham Forest's Oliver Glasner, whose team lost four points for a prior breach, said he could not comment specifically on City's case but hoped a swift and fair conclusion would protect the "integrity of the game."
Meanwhile, Manchester United supporters have revived their symbolic Stretford End banner tracking the years since City's last trophy prior to their Abu Dhabi-backed takeover—now reading 50, a reference to City's 1976 League Cup triumph—ahead of this weekend's visit from Tottenham Hotspur.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.