Former Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique has reacted to the latest development in Manchester City‘s long-running Premier League financial case by jokingly asking the league to send him a medal.
Reports on Friday, September 25, claimed an independent commission had found Manchester City guilty on 114 of the 115 charges brought against the club. The reported findings relate to alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations, with sanctions yet to be determined and an appeal expected. 0
The development has reignited discussion about the Premier League title races involving City and Liverpool, particularly during the period when Jurgen Klopp’s side regularly challenged Pep Guardiola’s team for domestic honours.
Enrique, who represented Liverpool between 2011 and 2016, responded to the reports with a tongue-in-cheek message referencing the possibility of Liverpool receiving recognition if past results or titles are affected by any eventual sporting sanctions.
Jose Enrique’s Reaction to Manchester City’s Reported Verdict
Enrique took to social media following the reports surrounding Manchester City’s financial case and joked about receiving a Premier League medal.
His message was clearly connected to Liverpool’s title race with Manchester City during his time associated with the club. The former defender wrote:
“Is already here!!! Thank you Premier League and send me the medal soon too.”
The comment quickly drew attention because Enrique was part of the Liverpool squad during the 2013-14 Premier League season, when Brendan Rodgers’ team finished second behind Manchester City.
Liverpool ended that campaign just two points behind City after a dramatic title race. Enrique’s reference to a medal therefore comes against the backdrop of one of the most memorable title battles in the club’s modern Premier League history.
What Is the Manchester City Financial Case About?
Manchester City’s long-running case concerns alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations over a number of seasons. The club was formally charged in February 2023 following a lengthy investigation, while the alleged breaches cover the period from 2009 to 2018 according to reports. 1
The 115 charges have covered several categories, including allegations relating to the accuracy of financial information, player and manager payments, UEFA financial rules, Premier League profitability and sustainability requirements, and cooperation with the league’s investigation.
Reports published following the commission’s decision indicated that City were found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges. However, the legal process has not simply ended with the reported findings.
Manchester City are expected to appeal, and the club has continued to maintain that it is innocent. The Premier League has also not publicly released a full final sanctions decision at the time of these reports. 2
Manchester City Maintain Their Position
The reported guilty findings have not changed Manchester City’s stated position on the case.
Club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak issued a public message insisting that the club remains confident in its position and intends to continue defending its case through the remaining legal process.
Al Mubarak said that the club’s “confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence” remained as strong as when the case began. He also emphasized that the Premier League process still had significant stages remaining. 3
That means the reported findings should not automatically be treated as the final outcome of the entire dispute. Manchester City have the right to challenge the findings through the applicable appeal process, and the consequences for the club have not yet been finally established.
What Punishments Could Manchester City Face?
The possible consequences have become a major part of the discussion following reports of the commission’s findings. However, no final sporting sanction had been announced at the time of the latest reports.
Potential measures discussed in coverage of the case include financial penalties, points deductions and other sporting sanctions. The precise punishment, if any, would depend on the relevant process and the outcome of any appeal. 4
There has also been considerable speculation among supporters about whether previous Premier League titles could eventually be affected. Such an outcome should not be presented as established fact while the sanctioning and appeal processes remain unresolved.
| Stage | Current Position |
|---|---|
| Premier League charges | 115 alleged financial regulation breaches |
| Reported commission findings | Guilty on 114 of 115 charges |
| Manchester City’s position | Club maintains its innocence |
| Appeal | Expected |
| Final sanctions | Not yet determined in the reported developments |
Why Liverpool Have Become Part of the Conversation
The Manchester City case has naturally brought Liverpool back into the conversation because of the intense competition between the two clubs during the late 2010s and early 2020s.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City produced several extraordinarily close Premier League title races. Liverpool won the league in the 2019-20 season, but City finished above them in other campaigns despite Liverpool collecting extremely high points totals.
Two particularly notable title races came in 2018-19 and 2021-22.
In 2018-19, Liverpool finished second despite collecting 97 points, with City winning the league by a single point. Three years later, Liverpool again finished second, this time with 92 points, while City edged the title race by another one-point margin.
Those narrow margins are why the latest Manchester City developments have generated such strong reactions from Liverpool supporters and former players.
Ian Wright Raises Questions About Liverpool’s Legacy
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has also discussed the potential implications of the reported findings for Liverpool and other teams that competed with Manchester City.
Wright argued that if City were ultimately punished for the breaches established through the relevant legal process, attention should also be paid to the opportunities other clubs may have missed during the period in question.
Speaking to ITV Sport, Wright questioned what Liverpool and Klopp’s team might have achieved during their peak rivalry with City.
His comments focused particularly on the possibility that other teams and players could have experienced different outcomes if the circumstances surrounding the competition had been different.
However, these are Wright’s views about the potential sporting consequences and legacy of the case, rather than a ruling that Liverpool should automatically receive past titles or medals.
Liverpool’s Remarkable Premier League Record During the Klopp Era
The strength of Liverpool’s challenge to Manchester City can be illustrated by their points totals.
During the 2018-19 season, Liverpool recorded 97 points but still finished second. City collected 98 points to claim the title.
The following season, Liverpool went one step further and won the Premier League title with a dominant campaign. They finished with 99 points, ending a 30-year wait for a league championship.
In 2021-22, Liverpool again reached 92 points but finished second after City accumulated 93.
| Season | Liverpool | Manchester City | Title Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 97 points | 98 points | Manchester City champions |
| 2019-20 | 99 points | 81 points | Liverpool champions |
| 2021-22 | 92 points | 93 points | Manchester City champions |
These figures explain why Enrique’s medal joke has resonated with Liverpool supporters. The margins between the two clubs were exceptionally small in several seasons.
Jose Enrique’s Liverpool Connection
Enrique joined Liverpool in 2011 and spent five seasons with the club before leaving in 2016. His time at Anfield included the period when Liverpool began developing into one of the strongest sides in English football under Klopp.
Although Enrique was no longer a Liverpool player when Klopp took over in 2015, he remained associated with the club and has regularly discussed Liverpool-related topics publicly since retiring from professional football.
His latest comment therefore carries a personal connection to the historical title race referenced by supporters. The 2013-14 Liverpool squad famously came close to winning the Premier League before City overtook them late in the campaign.
Enrique’s post was clearly framed as a joke rather than an official claim that the league has awarded him a replacement medal.
Manchester City’s Titles Are Not Automatically Stripped
One important distinction is that a reported guilty finding on financial regulation charges does not automatically mean previous trophies are immediately removed.
The independent commission’s findings, any sanctions imposed as a result, and the outcome of an appeal are separate stages of the process. Reports indicate that Manchester City are expected to challenge the findings, meaning the case remains subject to further legal and regulatory developments. 5
Until the relevant process is completed and any final sanctions are established, claims about specific clubs being awarded historical Premier League titles or medals remain speculative.
This is particularly relevant to Liverpool’s former players and supporters because the club finished narrowly behind City in several title races. The historical results themselves remain part of the official Premier League record unless and until a competent authority changes them through the applicable process.
Manchester City’s Next Steps
The immediate focus for Manchester City is expected to be the appeal process and the legal arguments surrounding the reported commission findings.
The club has consistently denied wrongdoing and has now reiterated its confidence that it can establish its position. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has emphasized that the process remains ongoing and that City will continue to defend the club. 6
For the Premier League and its clubs, the next stage will be closely watched because the eventual outcome could have consequences extending beyond Manchester City itself.
For Liverpool supporters, meanwhile, the case has reopened memories of some of the closest title races in Premier League history. Enrique’s medal request captures that reaction in a humorous way, but any actual changes to historical honours would require formal decisions rather than social-media commentary.
Key Takeaways
- Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique has joked about receiving a Premier League medal following reports concerning Manchester City’s financial case.
- Reports say Manchester City were found guilty on 114 of 115 alleged financial regulation breaches.
- The club has maintained its innocence and is expected to appeal the reported findings.
- No final sporting sanctions had been established in the latest reports.
- Possible consequences discussed in coverage include financial and sporting penalties, but their exact form remains unresolved.
- Manchester City and Liverpool were involved in several extremely close Premier League title races during the late 2010s and early 2020s.
- Liverpool finished with 97 points in 2018-19 but lost the title to City by one point.
- Liverpool again finished second to City in 2021-22 despite collecting 92 points.
- Ian Wright has questioned what Liverpool and other competing teams could have achieved if the circumstances surrounding the case had been different.
- Claims that Liverpool will automatically receive historical titles or medals remain unconfirmed while the appeal and sanctioning processes continue.
Final Verdict
Jose Enrique’s request for a Premier League medal has added a humorous Liverpool angle to the latest developments in Manchester City’s long-running financial case. His comment reflects the extremely close title races between the clubs during his association with Liverpool and the wider Klopp era.
The reported finding that City were guilty on 114 of 115 charges is significant, but the case is not necessarily at its final stage. Manchester City maintain their innocence and are expected to appeal, while sanctions have yet to be definitively established. 7
For Liverpool, the key historical context is clear: the club lost Premier League titles to City by one point in both 2018-19 and 2021-22, despite recording exceptionally high points totals. That explains why former players and supporters are now revisiting those seasons.
However, whether any historical titles, medals or records change will depend on the formal outcome of the remaining process. For now, Enrique’s medal remains a social-media joke, while the football world waits for the next stage of the Manchester City financial case.
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