Ince wants justice, and he wants it quickly

Paul Ince has called on the Premier League to throw the book at Manchester City if their appeal against the guilty verdict fails, urging the governing body to move as fast as possible on any sanction rather than allowing the process to drag on indefinitely. The former Liverpool captain was measured in his words, making clear he wants to hear City's defence before passing final judgement, but he was equally firm that the punishment must carry real weight.

"It's amazing, isn't it? Everyone's making these assumptions that they could be expelled from the Premier League, they could get a certain number of points deducted every year over a period of seasons," Ince told the Liverpool Echo. "But no-one's heard Manchester City's appeal yet. Manchester City are still saying they've got a defence."

What Ince actually wants from the Premier League

Ince's position is nuanced but pointed. He acknowledged the commercial reality of the situation, noting that removing one of the league's biggest clubs would be damaging for television broadcasters and commercial partners alike. But he was equally clear that a fine alone would mean nothing to a club backed by billionaires, and that whatever sanction is handed down must be severe enough to actually deter others from following the same path.

"There must be a deterrent, because if the deterrent or the sanction is not big enough, then it won't stop other clubs from doing it," he said. "I think they're going to get a points deduction, or they're going to get a fine, and a fine's going to be no concern anyway, because they're billionaires. That's not going to matter."

What he wants above all else is resolution. "I just want it done and dusted," he said. "Make the sanction quick, get on with the season and let's move forward. Whatever the outcome may be, let's try and do it as quickly as we possibly can."

Why this hits close to home for Ince

Ince is hardly a disinterested observer here. During the nine-season period under investigation, City won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and three League Cups. His former clubs Liverpool and Manchester United both missed out on championships to City during that stretch. His other former sides, West Ham United, Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Wanderers, all experienced relegation from the top flight at various points across the same years. The question of whether those outcomes might look different under properly enforced financial rules is one that will linger long after any sanction is handed down.

City's first fixture since the verdict dropped is a trip to Anfield on Sunday, which means Liverpool supporters will be watching all of this unfold with an extremely close eye on what comes next.