If allegations are proven, the 'Sergio Aguero Moment' will be forever tainted.

If Manchester City is found guilty of the more than 100 charges brought against it by the Premier League, then Sergio Aguero's moment will be forever tainted.

If Manchester City is found guilty of the more than 100 charges brought against it by the Premier League, then Sergio Aguero's moment will be forever tainted.

City is accused of wholesale bookkeeping and faces heavy fines, points deductions and expulsion from the league. But the past is what is causing so much concern. Three league titles were won by City during the nine seasons in which they were accused of breaking financial regulations. Three more were won during the five years of allegedly not cooperating. All those titles should be reaffirmed if those charges are proved. What about City's six League Cups, and two FA Cups.

Aguero's late, final goal in May 2012 won the first title, taking it away only by goal difference from Manchester United. On the side of Etihad Stadium, the timing of it - 93mins and 20sec – is engraved. In celebration, there is a statue that shows Aguero ripping his shirt off. It was voted the most iconic moment in Premier League history.

It is difficult to remove titles. Retroactive punishment does not appear to be within an independent commission's purview, but there is a catchall "make such another order as it thinks appropriate" that could cover that. It could be appealed, as it is with many other things in this case.

It feels like a step too far. Clubs will have to prove they did not win a trophy, or, more importantly, Champions League qualification, due to City's behavior, even if they were seeking unfair advantage.

Liverpool and United may take note, especially considering the words of Lord Justice Males (the Court of Appeal judge), who stated in July 2021 that the Premier League investigation was taking place "during which, you may be noted, the club(City) have twice crowned as Premier League Champions".

City's defense is strong. The club's terse, 79-word statement is clear that it believes there is "an irrefutable body of evidence" to support its case. This needs to be made public.

The charges also reveal that top-flight clubs are at odds. According to City sources, the Premier League has responded to pressure from other clubs. Nine of them - Arsenal Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea - wrote to Court of Arbitration for Sport in March 2020, arguing that City should be expelled from Europe while their appeal was heard. Later, Wolves were expelled.

Chelsea was also spending in a similar way to City during the early Abramovich years. This prompted Arsene Wenger to make the famous "financial Doping" comment. He then tried to change the rules so that others wouldn't follow his lead.

This is true, but not a good argument. It doesn't matter if the speed limit on a road is lower, it is not a defense for a driver who claims he shouldn't be prosecuted for speeding simply because his neighbor drove past his house at 30 mph last year and not 20 mph the year before.

The Premier League clubs are expected to meet again in the near future. The City will feel like they are being ganged on. The gloves are now off. The Premier League will be taking on City and all the legal might it has threatened to use as a test.

The scale of the charges suggests that City will fight every point. This could take months or even years. This is a new and potentially seismic development in English football.

There is so much going. There is so much potential for whataboutery and politicking, and geo-politicking. But it must be reduced to the facts. If City are caught out, and they have broken the rules. And they should be punished severely. Financial Fair Play is a dangerous sport, and other clubs are following the same path. This will be a warning to them.

However, titles should not be taken away from City. What purpose would that serve anyway? It might be a delight to rival fans, but it would also feel vindictive. However, it is difficult to prove that the title was won due to financial irregularities. Those titles will be ruined because they will always be associated with wrongdoing.

City must be punished severely if they are found guilty. This will have a significant impact on their future. The volume of charges is staggering and warrants sanctions such as a large point deduction and restrictions on how they can operate in subsequent transfer windows.