Arabic version: داونينغ ستريت: مانشستر سيتي ليس فوق القواعد

According to BBC News, Downing Street has said Manchester City are not “above the rules” following criticism of Andy Burnham’s comments about the club’s breaches of Premier League financial rules. A No 10 spokesperson said the initial judgement was serious and that there could be no suggestion anyone was above the rules.

The spokesperson said the matter remained an ongoing independent process which must be allowed to run its course, with the outcome respected. “Wherever wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences,” the statement added. Burnham had said he would be “really concerned” if City’s owners decided to sell the club, while stressing that he was not directly involved in the process and that it must be undertaken independently by the Premier League.

An independent commission found City guilty of most of the 115 charges they faced. Its findings included that the club arranged “sham contracts” with commercial partners in a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m. The Premier League said City had “systematically broke Premier League Rules for nearly a decade”. City deny wrongdoing and have until Friday to submit an appeal.

The independent panel will hold a sanctions hearing, which could take months to convene. Possible punishments include a large fine or a points deduction. Conservative shadow sport minister Louie French called for the government to keep politics out of football and said the commission must be able to work free from outside influence. Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Commons Treasury committee, has written to HMRC seeking reassurance over potential tax implications. David Kogan, chairman of the Independent Football Regulator, said the case had raised “serious issues” and that the regulator would use its powers where appropriate while proceedings continued.