Two things that don't add up in my mind after 24 hours of thinking and reading about this non-stop.
1. PL is mostly charging Manchester City with similar if not the same infractions that UEFA charged them with...which has already been litigated by CAS. Of course, the legal point of "time barred evidence" is on the PL side for their case against Manchester City as it wasn't for UEFA and their rules. It will be interesting how one independent governing body will rule against Manchester City when the largest sporting court in the world (CAS) already exonerated them when faced with the same evidence. Disclaimer *This point only makes sense, if the PL is charging Manchester City with the same evidence as UEFA, as it is my belief that if they had further evidence they would have leaked it by now which has not happened to my knowledge.
2. If it is true that Manchester City paid managerial staff and playing staff "off the books" why hasn't anyone ever come out and said anything. I could (100%) be naïve to this...but City has had plenty of relationships end terribly over the past 15 years. Mancini on the managerial side, and Yaya Toure, Carlos Tevez, and Samir Nasri on the players side are the ones that stick out most to me.
I just find it hard to believe that these individuals or their agents wouldn't have said something to the Press or the PL about this to damage City and their ownership / board that fired them. It is possible someone on the inside, or previously was on the inside is cooperating with the PL investigation / charges and that is their smoking gun.
Regardless, even if Manchester City is exonerated for the second time on these charges...the damage is already done. Rival fans and media will forever call them cheaters even if they're able to clear their name. Headlines create narratives not long drawn out court cases and legal technicalities.
Dark times for the club, and I'm of the belief that if they're found guilty they should be punished severely.
I just have a hard time believing some of the best business minds in the world would cheat the rules so brazenly, but I'm very biased in my opinion on the matter so hard to have a clear head on all this.