Jose Mourinho delivers brutal response to Manchester City guilty verdict

Depending on the precise findings and applicable Premier League rules, possible sporting and financial sanctions could include substantial fines, points deductions or, in the most extreme circumstances, expulsion from the competition.

There has also been speculation about whether historical league titles could be affected, although retrospective title stripping or reassignment should not be treated as an automatic consequence of a guilty verdict.

That possibility would be particularly interesting for Mourinho, whose Manchester United side finished runners-up to Pep Guardiola’s City in 2017/18.

United accumulated 81 points that season but finished 19 behind their Manchester rivals.

For now, however, the focus remains on the legal process and any sanctions that might ultimately be confirmed.

And if Mourinho’s prediction proves accurate, football supporters could be waiting a considerable amount of time before the saga reaches its final conclusion.