Joleon Lescott and Rio Ferdinand debate impact of Manchester City’s ‘trial of the century’ on players – as ex-captain reveals how 115 charges case has been discussed at the club

Rio Ferdinand has insisted Manchester City’s players will be unaffected by the club’s ongoing trial as they fight against 115 charges issued by the Premier League.

Manchester City’s fight against the charges of breaching Premier League financial rules started on Monday under a cloak of secrecy.

If the Premier League’s legal team can prove the most serious charges, City could face relegation or a huge points deduction. 

The verdict is expected to be announced in the new year.

Ahead of Man City‘s opening Champions League tie of the season against Inter Milan, TNT Sport pundits Rio Ferdinand and Joleon Lescott discussed the potential impact of the hearing on Man City’s squad.

Lord Pannick KC is leading Manchester City’s legal defence against the 115 alleged breaches

Man City face Inter Milan in their Champions League in the first match since the hearing began

Rio Ferdinand, centre, and Joleon Lescott, right, debated the impact of the case on players

Ferdinand dismissed the suggestion Man City’s players could be distracted.

The ex-Man United defender drew the comparison to protests against the Glazer ownership at his former club.

Ferdinand suggested players would see the focus on the case as being ‘noise’ as they continue their pursuit of claiming further silverware.

‘I don’t think it impacts the players,’ Ferdinand told TNT Sports.

‘When we had things going on with the Glazers, that’s just noise over there so I don’t see them having any problem with that.’

Lescott, who played for Man City between 2009 and 2014, differed slightly from Ferdinand’s view.

 ‘As it goes on, depending what kind of noises, it may do,’ he said. ‘As players you are pretty good at distracting yourself.’

Former Man City captain Richard Dunne, who spent nine years at the club between 2000 and 2009, insisted the squad have become used to discussion around the case.

Ferdinand has insisted Man City’s players performances will not be impacted by the case

Dunne, who returned to Man City as an academy coach earlier this year, told Virgin Media that there has been little discussion of the case at the club. 

‘I don’t think there is any worry about it, there is no mention about it around the place,’ Dunne said. ‘I don’t think fans or members of the club have any real concerns over it.’

‘It is something that has been looming for a long time, so they have got used to everything that has come with it.

‘They have always maintained their innocence and keep saying “until we are proven guilty leave us be”.

‘It is not affecting them on the pitch the way they have started the season. I think they [the players] were told really early on they are innocent and it is not going to affect the players.

‘This group of players were not there when the charges have come from, so there is no taint on what they have done for the last five to six years.

It is a big, big story in terms of the league and how football moves forwards in the future, but in terms of the players and this group, I don’t think it affects them a lot. The manager has been very forward in his belief that the club is innocent and he believes the people he works for.’