According to the Premier League, Man City, who were charged in February 2023, allegedly broke the rules over nine seasons between 2009 and 2018, during which time they won the league title three times.

Everton and Nottingham Forest were charged with breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules earlier this week - and Everton were deducted 10 points in November for the same offence.

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• Everton and Forest charged with breaching Premier League finance rules
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When questioned by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee at a select committee meeting on Tuesday over whether he could understand fans' frustrations regarding the delay to the City hearing, Masters said: "I can but they are very different charges.

"If any club, whether they are the current champions or otherwise, had been found in breach of the spending rules for year '23, they would be in exactly the same position as Everton or Nottingham Forest.

"The volume and character of the charges laid before Man City, which I cannot talk about at all, are being heard in a completely different environment.

"There is a date set for that proceeding. Unfortunately, I can't tell you when that is but that is progressing. I can't give any details on Man City beyond saying a date has been set, I can't tell you when that date is.

"On Chelsea, as you know, the new owners came forward with information to The FA, UEFA and Premier League about previous ownership and we're still investigating that. We don't announce the outcome of that until we have completed those investigations."

Man City allegedly did not provide accurate financial information and did not fully disclose the financial remunerations that were made to one of their managers over a four-year period.

The Premier League also alleges Man City did not comply with UEFA's financial fair play rules over a five-year period. They also allege Man City have not fully co-operated with the Premier League's investigation.

City unequivocally deny the allegations.

Masters defends charging Everton

Masters also defended charging Everton for a second time this season, insisting the Premier League has merely enforced the rules over club finances.

"I don't think it's messy. Nobody likes enforcing the financial rules. It's the first time the Premier League has done it," he said.

"These rules were brought in in 2013/14 with the specific purpose, post-Portsmouth, of ensuring that unsustainable spending couldn't go too far. There was a wrapper put around how much clubs could invest in pursuit of their aims.

"It's the first time we've laid a charge in this specific way and no one particularly wants to be doing it, but we must do it because we have to think about the rest of the clubs that have complied with the rules and also their fanbases. That, ultimately, is the duty of the Premier League board and the EFL board in similar circumstances.

"Because we changed the rules last summer, and we can't change the rules unilaterally, we have to do it with the clubs' permission where there's a more expedited process.

"The PSR are calculated on a three-year look-back and in Everton's case the decision was made a season after they were found to be in breach, a very long period which is why we brought in expedited directions to try and help that process work more efficiently."