'He was there!' - Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta questioned as Man City 115 charges laid out

Sports presenter Richard Keys has claimed that any title Manchester City has won or will win will automatically have an asterisk on it ahead of the final day of the Premier League season this weekend.

Pep Guardiola's side have been locked into a title race with Arsenal since the very start of the season back in August but now sit perched atop the league by just a two-point gap as both sides look to lift the Premier League trophy come Sunday. For the Gunners, it'd be their first for over 20 years whilst Man City are looking to make it four titles in a row - an unprecedented feat in the English top flight.

Tuesday night's win over Arsenal's bitter rivals Tottenham meant that all City need to do is win against West Ham on Sunday to be crowned champions once again, with Arsenal needing the Hammers to hold Guardiola's men to at least a draw if they're to beat Everton and lift the trophy themselves.

It's been one of the league's most dramatic title races in years and it could all come down to the final few seconds, but Keys is adamant that if City are to come out on top and win again, it wouldn't mean much at all given the current investigation surrounding them for alleged Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches. He claimed on beIN Sports last night: "It'd be four Premier League titles in a row if they end up winning this but the problem for me is, and if I'm a Manchester City fan I'd have a problem with this as well, it all comes with an asterisk."

The club are alleged to have breached a slew of financial legislations between 2008/09 and 2018/19, as well as having failed to co-operate with the Premier League in the investigation, the sum of which total to 115 charges with the case finally set to start later this year. City vehemently deny any wrongdoing.

Whether City would be punished via the stripping of any titles won after the period is unclear but it could see Arsenal handed the title if they are, which many supporters might see as a best-case scenario if they end up losing it this weekend. A financial repercussion or a points deduction for next season would likely be seen as little more than a slap on the wrist, meaning many are calling for significant punishments.

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Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer also chimed into the discussion, saying: "My team, Liverpool, have taken them to the wire, they've been so close a lot of the time and it does stick in your throat when you think how close we got to them and how many titles we could've won. You look at the circumstances where they can essentially spend whatever they want and they've got fantastic lawyers and even better accountants so it does stick in your throat.

"I asked the question last night - Mikel Arteta is so close to this title, last season they slipped up with a few games to go but this year they could win it on the final day. If they lose it, what is going through his head with Man City and how they do business, and these 115 charges?"

Keys then replied: "He was there for most of it! 54 failures to provide accurate and up-to-date financial information from 2009/10 to 2017/18, 14 failures to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation, five failures to comply with UEFA's rules on FFP, seven breaches of the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSRs) and 35 failures to co-operate with Premier League investigations from December 2018 onwards. That's the charge sheet.

"If I was a Manchester City fan, I'd want this sorted now. If those charges can be argued to completion and Man City are able to say 'we're not guilty', great. Everything they've won over the last 10 years, they can relax with and enjoy. But if, if they are found guilty, it dilutes everything they've done."