Guardiola set to attend Man City v PSG next week

Pep Guardiola is expected to attend Manchester City’s Champions League tie against Paris St-Germain next week - the club’s first home match since they were found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.

It will mark the first time the Spaniard has returned to Etihad Stadium since he left the club at the end of last season after a decade as manager.

Earlier this month, an independent commission found the club guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

City continue to deny any wrongdoing and have lodged an appeal against the findings in the Premier League’s report that stated the club falsely inflated commercial revenues by £830m through “sham” contracts.

In the aftermath of the verdict, 55-year-old Guardiola backed City’s owners and leadership and says he will “always” be behind the club.

“I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever,” he posted on social media.

“I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran [Soriano], the players, staff, Enzo [Maresca] and you, our unique supporters.”

“Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”

City return to action after the three-week international break against Liverpool on Sunday (16:30 BST) in what promises to be a searing Premier League atmosphere at Anfield.

Enzo Maresca’s side then host Champions League holders PSG on Wednesday, 14 October when Guardiola is expected to watch from the Etihad stands.

During Guardiola’s decade in charge of City, he led the club to six Premier League titles - including a record four in a row from 2020-21 - as well as the Champions League, three FA Cups and five League Cups.

Prior to his departure, Guardiola spoke about the charges against City in November 2024 and said he “will be here” even if the club were relegated.

Is it too early to look at the Premier League table?

Just five games in, it might seem a bit early to pay much attention to the Premier League table - but it’s probably more settled than you think.

While it would be no surprise if Manchester City and Arsenal finish as the top two - outside of any points deductions or sanctions directed City’s way - will Brentford really qualify for Europe, Hull stay up and Tottenham be involved in yet another relegation battle? Recent history certainly suggests it is likely.

It has to be mentioned there is a huge asterisk hanging over the Premier League table at the moment after Manchester City were found guilty of the majority of the Premier League charges levelled at them.

The Premier League leaders have appealed but, if the guilty verdict remains, potential sanctions could have a significant impact on the table. Until then, we can only deal with the table as it is now.

If we look at the Premier League after five games last season and where teams ultimately ended up, the final table was already starting to take shape as 13 of the 20 sides finished within four places of where they sat even at this early stage (65%).

Eventual champions Arsenal were second, Sunderland were already seventh ahead of finishing there eight months later, and two of the three sides that were relegated were already in the bottom three.

There were some notable exceptions. Aston Villa and Tottenham effectively swapped places at either end of the table, with Villa rising from the bottom three to finish in the top four and Spurs dropping to 17th.

It is a similar story across the last 10 seasons of the Premier League. More than two-thirds of teams finished within four places of where they were after five games (138 out of 200), with 27 of those sitting in exactly the same position 33 games later.

Another 50 teams finished between five and nine places from where they were at this stage, meaning that just 12 teams in the past decade moved up or down the table by double digits after this point, with three of those coming last season.

However, one part of the table that does not settle quickly is the top spot. The side leading the Premier League after five games has gone on to win the title in just one of the past six seasons - Manchester City doing so in 2023-24 - and just three times in the past 11 seasons.

Even the fact that Manchester City have five wins out of five so far does not mean much. They also won their first five games under Manuel Pellegrini in 2015-16 and in Pep Guardiola’s first season in 2016-17 but did not go on to win the title on either occasion (although they did in 2023-24).

Chelsea in 2018-19, Arsenal in 2022-23 and Liverpool last season were also top with a 100% record at this stage but had little to show for it at the end of the season.

However, the eventual champions have been in the top two at this point in each of the last four campaigns, suggesting - potential punishments aside - it will be Manchester City or Arsenal that lifts the trophy. The last team to be outside the top two after five games and win the title were Manchester City in 2021-22, who were fifth with just 10 points.

The top end of the table overall has sometimes settled surprisingly quickly in recent years. The top eight after five games in 2024-25 finished as the top eight at the end of that season (although not in the same order), while the top six in 2019-20 and top seven in 2016-17 were also in place at this early stage.

While being top after five games has not meant much in recent seasons, being bottom certainly has.

After finishing just one place above the drop in the last two campaigns, Tottenham could well be in trouble once again as the side bottom of the Premier League after five games has been relegated in six of the past seven seasons.

Being bottom this early did not used to be such a bad omen. Between 2013-14 and 2018-19, only one of the six sides that were propping up the table after five games ended up going down - Newcastle in 2015-16 - while Crystal Palace finished as high as 11th in 2017-18.

In fact, the good news for Tottenham fans is that the last time they were in this situation, they finished eighth. The club were bottom with just two points after five games in 2008-09 but, after replacing manager Juande Ramos with Harry Redknapp three games later, still finished in the top half.

Looking at the relegation battle more broadly, at least one of the teams in the bottom three at this stage has been relegated in the last eight seasons - so one of Tottenham, Fulham and Coventry will very likely be heading to the Championship in May.

The pool of contestants for this season’s relegation battle may already be decided too as the three sides that ultimately went down in the past three seasons were all in the bottom six after five games, which would add Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace to the mix.

The last sides to be outside the bottom six at this point but relegated were Leeds and Southampton in 2022-23, who were both in the top half (7th and 9th). With their teams currently sat in 8th and 11th place, Hull and Ipswich fans will hope that is still the case at the end of this campaign.

While the season may well have barely begun, the Premier League table is already starting to take shape.

McTominay resumes Napoli training after surgery

Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay has returned to training at Napoli following his recent heart surgery.

The 29-year-old’s ablation procedure - a minimally invasive operation to correct irregular heart rhythms - took place in Manchester last month and was described as “a complete success”.

And Napoli said: “On Wednesday, Scott McTominay underwent further diagnostic tests, which showed that he is fit to play.

“The Napoli player therefore resumed training with the rest of the team after the period spent training separately.”

McTominay was substituted after 56 minutes of Napoli’s 2-1 Serie A defeat by Como in August. A mild benign arrhythmia was discovered, prompting the corrective treatment.

According to the NHS, an arrhythmia is when the heart beats too quickly or too slowly, or the heartbeat is not steady.

The British Heart Foundation explains that a cardiac arrhythmia ablation involves using heat or cold energy to create tiny scars in the heart to block faulty signals and restore a typical heartbeat.

During his absence, McTominay missed four Scotland fixtures, including Tuesday’s Nations League defeat by Slovenia.

The Scots’ next games are against Switzerland and North Macedonia in November.

Rice close to agreeing new Arsenal deal

Declan Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham in 2023

Declan Rice is close to agreeing a new long-term Arsenal contract, sources have told BBC Sport.

The England midfielder has become a crucial player for the Gunners since his arrival from West Ham for £105m in July 2023.

His current deal expires at the end of next season but BBC Sport revealed in March that talks over a new contract were under way with the process now at an advanced stage.

The 27-year-old has made 165 appearances for Arsenal and helped the club end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title last term.

Rice would receive a significant increase to his reported £240,000-per-week salary, putting him on a par with the club’s best earner Bukayo Saka, who is believed to be paid about £350,000 a week.

While Rice withdrew from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad before the recent three-week camp, he has amassed 80 caps since switching his international allegiance from the Republic of Ireland in 2019.

Tuchel has also previously lauded him one of the “best midfielders in Europe”.

Rice is expected to be involved for Arsenal when they host Leeds in the English top flight on Saturday (12:30 BST).

The news comes after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s new four-year deal with the Premier League champions was announced on Wednesday.

Senior figures worried about Man City being in next season's Champions League

Senior figures within English football are concerned that Manchester City could play in the Champions League next season even if they are relegated from the Premier League for breaching financial regulations.

It centres around the possibility that City win the Champions League, which would provide qualification for the competition as titleholders - regardless of their status in the English domestic pyramid.

BBC Sport has been told that there is no automatic mechanism to remove City from a European competition they qualify for on sporting merit.

An independent commission found City guilty of all charges related to inflating sponsorship revenue by £830m by using sham contracts, as well as hiding other expenses worth an additional £90m.

Without this, the independent commission said, City would have failed the profit and sustainability rules in all nine seasons between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

City continue to strenuously deny any wrongdoing, calling the outcome a “Premier League conspiracy”. Last week the club lodged an appeal against the verdict.

BBC Sport has spoken to a number of senior figures within the game in recent days who are concerned about the prospect of City qualifying for the Champions League next season.

The feeling is that if City do not win their appeal and are therefore handed a strong sanction, then being allowed to compete alongside Europe’s elite, and receiving the financial rewards which come with it, would not be acceptable.

The immediate issue surrounds the Uefa licence, which every club needs in order to play in Europe.

One source said the issue of City’s licence “had been raised” and that a solution “would require the sort of joined up thinking that’s been a bit lacking so far”.

The licences are issued by the Football Association, though the process itself is delegated to the Premier League.

The licences are based upon current information which does not take into account sanctions or breaches related to historical offences.

If a club fulfils all minimum criteria required for admission, the licence cannot be refused.

The key reasons a club may fail relate to overdue payables to other teams, players or outstanding tax liabilities.

Match-fixing convictions within the last 10 years, or an integrity conflict related to multi-club ownership, are considered but would not apply to City.

A source added that “licences are awarded on the basis of current financial performance, so the grounds to refuse one are unclear”.

If the verdict is upheld by the appeal board it is likely City will face severe sanctions, which could include heavy points deductions, a large fine and transfer embargoes.

The sanctioning hearing, which will determine the level of punishment City must face, is yet to be scheduled.

While a points deduction could rule City out of qualifying by league position, it might still be achieved through cup competitions.

Expelling City from the Premier League immediately is also an option which remains on the table.

Senior figures both in the English game and in European football are aware of how bad the optics would be if City face strong sanctions yet still play in the Champions League.

It is exacerbated by doubts that the whole process - including an appeal against the sanction - is not guaranteed to be completed by the end of the season.

The Premier League added new clauses to its regulations to set time frames around disciplinary processes and appeals in the summer.

If applicable, this would mean a judgement on the sanction must come no later than January. But there is no confirmation this applies to the City case.

It is not just about City winning the Champions League, however. If they were to win the FA Cup or Carabao Cup - they play Brighton in the fourth round on 28 October - that would provide a place in the Europa League or the Conference League respectively.

European football’s governing body cannot take any action while the Premier League disciplinary process plays out, but it is understood that potential scenarios are likely to be discussed by the Uefa administration and the Uefa club financial control body (CFCB).

The Premier League case found City guilty of five charges of breaching Uefa’s profit and sustainability rules.

Uefa may open a case in accordance with the disciplinary regulations to find a way to remove City’s eligibility.

But this does not provide certainly as City’s offences are historical.

In 2020, City successfully overturned their two-year ban from European club competitions handed down by Uefa.

Uefa issued the ban after ruling City had committed “serious breaches” of financial fair play regulations between 2012 and 2016 - with the same period as the Premier League’s investigation.

But the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) overturned the ban because the offences were “time-barred” under Uefa’s rules.

If City are not successful in their appeal and win the Champions League, the CFCB will have to find a disciplinary measure to remove the club from next season’s competition.

Yet with City already having won against Uefa through Cas once before, there is the concern they could do so again.