Manchester City discover Premier League punishment after breaking rule NINE times

Manchester City have been fined more than £1m for kicking off or restarting games in almost a quarter of their Premier League games last season

Manchester City have been fined more than £1m by the Premier League for breaching a late kick-off rule on nine different occasions during the season just finished.

City have accepted the sanction after falling foul of Rule L.33 in a host of different games – and that follows on from a fine of more than £2m handed down a season before.

A statement from the Premier League said that “rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organisation of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs. It also ensures the broadcast of every Premier League match is kept to schedule.”

As such, the league and City have “entered into a sanction agreement” with City reminding players and staff of the need to be on time. Rule L.33, in part, reads: “Any club which, without good reason, causes to be delayed either the kick-off of a league match from the time fixed or the restart after the half-time interval shall be dealt with.”

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Overall, they delayed kick-offs and restarts by 18 minutes and 53 seconds. Below is a breakdown across the nine individual matches:

• A £40,000 fine for their 2-minute 10-second delay of a re-start during their 1-0 win at home to Southampton on 26 October.
• A £60,000 fine for their 1-minute 38-second delay to the kick-off of their 4-0 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur on 23 November.
• An £80,000 fine for their 1-minute 59-second delay of a re-start during their 3-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest on 4 December.
• A £100,000 fine for their 1-minute and 29-second delay of a re-start during their 2-2 draw away to Crystal Palace on 7 December.

• A £125,000 fine for their 1-minute 18-second delay to kick-off and 2-minute 24-second delay of a re-start during their 2-1 loss at home to Manchester United on 15 December.
• Another £125,000 fine for the 2-minute 9-second delay of a re-start during their 2-1 loss away to Aston Villa on 21 December.
• A £150,000 fine for their 2-minute 22-second delay of a re-start during their 4-1 win at home to West Ham United on 4 January.
• A £210,000 fine for their 2-minute 22-second delay of a re-start during their 6-0 win away to Ipswich Town on 19 January.
• A £190,000 fine for their 1-minute 42-second delay of a re-start during their 4-0 win at home to Newcastle United on 15 February.

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