Roy Keane, the former Manchester United captain, said he would 'throw the medals in the bin' if he were a Manchester City player, after the Premier League confirmed on Tuesday that the club was found guilty of charges related to its financial rules, according to The Guardian.
The Guardian reported that City boosted their income by more than £900m after arranging 'sham contracts' with commercial partners, and that the club won eight trophies, including three Premier League titles between 2009 and 2018, during the period covered by the case. City continue to deny any wrongdoing, per The Guardian.
Multiple outlets across the political spectrum reported Keane's comments, with several citing his description of City players as 'cheats' and his call for them to 'stick' or 'throw' their medals 'in the bin'.
According to The Guardian, former footballer Micah Richards said he was 'devastated and heartbroken' over the verdict. This claim was reported by only one outlet in the supplied material.
How each side covered it
Left
- The Guardian detailed the Premier League's finding that City was guilty of all charges tied to financial rules.
- The Guardian reported City boosted income by more than £900m via 'sham contracts' with commercial partners.
- The Guardian cited Micah Richards saying he was 'devastated and heartbroken' over the verdict.
- The Mirror highlighted Keane's 'cheat' characterization of Man City in its headline.
“‘Throw your medals in the bin,’ Roy Keane tells Manchester City players” — The Guardian
Center
- Yahoo Sports focused on Keane's call for City players to 'throw medals in the bin'.
- Yahoo Sports noted City was found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules.
“Roy Keane says Man City players should ‘throw medals in the bin’” — Yahoo Sports
Right
- GB News and others described Manchester City as facing an 'unprecedented crisis'.
- The Sun and Daily Express emphasized Keane calling Manchester City players 'cheats'.
- Right-leaning outlets uniformly used the 'stick medals in the bin' phrasing in headlines.
“Man Utd legend Roy Keane tells Man City 'cheats' to 'stick Premier League medals in the BIN' after guilty verdict” — The Sun
Questions readers ask
What did Roy Keane say about Manchester City players?
Roy Keane, the former Manchester United captain, said he would 'throw the medals in the bin' if he were a Manchester City player, following the Premier League's confirmation that the club was found guilty of breaching financial rules.
What was Manchester City found guilty of?
According to The Guardian, the Premier League confirmed Manchester City was guilty of all charges related to its financial rules, including boosting income by more than £900m through 'sham contracts' with commercial partners.
Has Manchester City admitted wrongdoing?
No. The Guardian reported that Manchester City continues to deny any wrongdoing despite the Premier League's findings.
How did coverage differ across outlets?
Left-, center- and right-leaning outlets all focused on Roy Keane's 'medals in the bin' remarks, with right-leaning outlets such as The Sun and Daily Express emphasizing his description of City as 'cheats', while The Guardian provided additional detail on the financial charges and a reaction from Micah Richards.
Who is Micah Richards and what did he say?
According to The Guardian, Micah Richards, a former footballer, said he was 'devastated and heartbroken' over the Manchester City verdict. This claim was reported by only one source.
Sources · 6 outlet reports
- The GuardianLeft-leaning‘Throw your medals in the bin,’ Roy Keane tells Manchester City players
- The MirrorLeft-leaningRoy Keane sends brutal 'medals in the bin' message to Man City stars after 115 charges 'cheat'
- Yahoo SportsCenterRoy Keane says ‘I’d stick medals in the bin’ after Manchester City charges verdict
- Daily ExpressRight-leaningRoy Keane tells 'cheating' Man City stars to 'stick medals in the bin' in furious rant
- GB NewsRight-leaningMan City players told to 'stick their medals in the bin' as club face unprecedented crisis
- The SunRight-leaningMan Utd legend Roy Keane tells Man City 'cheats' to 'stick Premier League medals in the BIN' after guilty verdict