Manchester City have been tipped to be cleared of 115 alleged breaches of financial rules ahead of their hearing on Monday.
The Premier League brought the 115 charges against City in February 2023. The club strenuously deny all the charges and claim they have 'irrefutable evidence' to prove their innocence.
It was announced on Thursday that the hearing would officially begin next week, after Premier League chief Richard Masters said earlier this year that a date had been decided.
A verdict is not expected to be officially announced until the end of this season, even though the hearing itself is anticipated to last two weeks.
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According to the London Evening Standard, a heavy points deduction or fine is seen as the most likely punishment to be handed out by the Premier League if City are to be found guilty of the more serious charges levelled against them.
However, potential relegation is said to not yet be off the table as a possible punishment.
But former City financial advisor Stefan Borson believes the club will be cleared of the charges laid against them.
Appearing on talkSPORT's 'White and Jordan', Borson explained: "I think they'll clear their name.
"I think a case of this nature has to have a level of cogent proof, which seems to me to impossible to present to an independent commission.
"It seems, to me, highly unlikely that the conduct alleged has been taking place over a 10-year period with the sorts of individuals that are involved in the club and the sorts of companies involved.
"That also will be the starting point of any independent commission. It will be a very big call for any quasi-court, tribunal, to suggest that this number of people have been dishonest and perjured themselves.
"That would be a massive call for effectively some KCs, and maybe a former finance director of a football club, to make against not just Manchester City, but numerous executives, third-party individuals, and potentially senior members of a foreign state."
Topics: Manchester City, Football, Premier League
Ryan Smart