Manuel Pellegrini has defended Manchester City’s transfer activity during the period for which they face Financial Fair Play sanctions and claimed that Liverpool spent ‘a fortune’ at that time.
The reigning Premier League champions have been charged for numerous alleged breaches of FFP regulations across a nine-year timeframe from 2009 to 2018 (Sky Sports).
If they are found guilty of those allegations, the Etihad Stadium club face heavy punishments, which could include being stripped of any top-flight titles they won during the years specified (i News).
However, having won the league with City in 2014, Pellegrini has launched a passionate defence of his former employers, adamant that the silverware they won was not tainted, and also took aim at several of their rivals, including Liverpool.
The current Real Betis manager said (via Daily Mail): “The criticism of City has always been very unjust. If there had been an astronomical difference between clubs then maybe, but Chelsea were spending a fortune, Manchester United were spending a fortune, Liverpool were spending a fortune, Arsenal were spending a fortune.
“It’s not the case that one club wanted a player for 100m and City came along and paid 200m. That didn’t really happen.”
Let’s address those ‘spending a fortune’ comments first with a little side-by-side comparison, taking the respective spending of Manchester City and Liverpool (as per Transfermarkt) from seasons 2009/10 to 2017/18:
There you have it – the Sky Blues spend £517.8m more on incoming transfers than the Merseyside club during those nine years. If we spent ‘a fortune’, what description do you apply to their outlay?
Even honing on seasons 2013/14 to 2015/16, when Pellegrini was their manager, they still invested more in transfers than we did (£380.25m to £299.4m).
The Chilean wasn’t averse to some big-money deals himself when he was in charge at the Etihad. In the summer of 2015, he spent a then-club record £55m on the admittedly very shrewd capture of Kevin De Bruyne (BBC Sport).
And, how about this for irony – it was in the very same year that City raided Anfield for Raheem Sterling, who set them back £49m (BBC Sport). That’s £104m on those two players alone in one transfer window.
Pellegrini’s remarks bring to mind the adage that people in glass houses should not throw stones.
Newcastle player issues public apology after his recent comments about Liverpool
Newcastle United’s English striker Callum Wilson shoots the ball but Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker (R) stops the ball during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James’ Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on February 18, 2023.
Newcastle United forward Callum Wilson has admitted that he was wrong to claim that Liverpool aren’t back in the top-four race.
Wilson recently poured scorn on the idea that the Reds are looking back to their old selves. As his team rival Liverpool for a Champions League spot, he dismissed praise of Jurgen Klopp’s side as being a little premature.
“You’re asking me are Liverpool back? What do you want me to say? They have won two games after the last couple of weeks and like I’m saying we technically let them win, it was a poor performance from our point of view,” the England man said at the end of February.
Well, wouldn’t you know it. After the Reds destruction of Manchester United on Sunday, Wilson has taken to his Footballer’s Football Podcast to apologise for his hasty comments.
“I apologise for saying that Liverpool aren’t back. They’re back with a bang!” admitted the out of form 30-year-old. “Anything I say at the minute the universe shows the opposite.” You better believe it, buddy.
Liverpool not getting carried away
Wilson’s original comments sounded a little bitter at the time. Having just been beaten by the Reds for the second time this season, you can perhaps forgive his churlishness.
But having said that, there was a grain of truth in it then. Liverpool had just beaten Newcastle to record their second 2-0 Premier League win in a row. With big defeats against Wolves and Brighton still fresh in the memory though, talk of a fightback couldn’t be verified.
Two weeks later, and it very much can be. Although Liverpool have to be careful not to get carried away, they’ve now kept five clean sheets in a row and six in the last seven.
Having just obliterated United by an unfathomably big scoreline, the Reds have shown that they’re no longer the soft touch they’ve so often been this season.
For Wilson, that’s obviously bad news. Newcastle’s own form has been patchy of late but they’re still right in the top four hunt. Just a point behind Liverpool and with a game in hand, they shouldn’t be dismissed.
If they’re to get back on track they need Wilson to start finding the net, though. One goal in 12 games since the World Cup isn’t good enough from the £20m man. If he keeps up that kind of form, Liverpool won’t have to worry too much about the Toon.