Manchester United given biggest Man City charges verdict yet after agreement reached

Manchester United have spent a considerable period of time this year changing their practices to become a serious threat to their fierce rivals and neighbours Manchester City.

Ineos have arrived and over the course of their tenure so far have changed many aspects of the club, not least sacking Erik ten Hag and replacing him with Ruben Amorim. It will of course take time for these changes to take effect and it must be stressed that there is still more work to be done.

However, they are not alone in the North West in preparing and implementing change. City have been bracing themselves for upheaval as well with Txiki Begiristain stepping down and their ongoing battle with the Premier League over alleged, historical, financial wrongdoing, continuing.

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The Blues have maintained their innocence throughout and insist they have 'irrefutable evidence' to clear their name. If they were to be found guilty earlier next year though, following the conclusion of their hearing in London this month, their change of circumstances could be more cataclysmic than United's shortfalls over the past decade.

While United are keeping a close eye on City's progress, even reportedly reserving the right to claim compensation should their rivals be found guilty, they may have received their biggest sign yet that a huge fall from grace is not on the horizon for the Etihad Stadium club. While the Blues have been fighting with the Premier League, the future of their most successful manager has been in the balance.

Pep Guardiola had not committed to a new contract with City and some suggested that a potential punishment for the club which would see them demoted from the Premier League was postponing his decision. However, on Tuesday night it appeared Guardiola had made his final decision.

MEN Sport understands Guardiola will soon sign a new one-year extension at City with the option for a further 12 months inserted into the deal. The reason for his postponement on a deal is believed to surround a back injury which has been causing him considerable pain and the Catalan coach needed to convince himself that staying in Manchester was a good idea.

It is also possible that Guardiola has an inkling as to the outcome of the Premier League charges hearing. Would he have signed on for a potential two years if he was to be working in the lower reaches of the English football pyramid?

He may have spoken about wanting to stay if City were demoted to non-league but that would be easier said than done. City would have to cut their cloth accordingly and unless Guardiola would work for a fraction of his current salary, retaining the manager in the National League would have been unfeasible.

If City feared they were going to be hit with an unprecedented punishment, neither them nor Guardiola would have agreed to a contract extension. This impending new deal is the clearest sign yet that City could be about to avoid a historically severe collapse.