Will the bargain have been worth it when Faust calls in the loan?, asks Enda McEvoy.

Even though Pep has reiterated his commitment to a club to which he is contracted until the summer of 2021, his body language this season says differently, writes Liam Brady.

UEFA, which has waved its paw at the Financial Fair Play debate for far too long, has finally found its claws after banning Manchester City from the Champions League — but the ensuing fight is now going to be bloody and extended.

Before Christmas, such theories were little more than that — fantasy football hypotheses to debate in the stands or the pub.

Manchester City’s history in European football is a curious case of the premature, the never-has-been and, as of today, the maybe-never-will-be, writes Simon Curtis.

Manchester City have been banned from UEFA club competitions for the next two seasons and fined €30m after being found to have “committed serious breaches of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.”

SO, it was Man United against lower league opposition in the Cup, and it was a six-goal winning margin to boot but, really, it was the mud what done it.

Good things come to those who wait.

I’m done. Seriously. Retirement is an actual option now.

Down with the bunting, box up the tinsel. The league is over and we can all relax in the afterglow of our trophy gluttony. No late-campaign jitters, sleepless nights worrying about goal difference and whether our little star will shine brightest. It’s over and everyone knows it is.

Yes, there was a degree of bitterness over the decisions and, obviously, these were the same petty snarks who’d revelled in our discomfort at the end of last season (so why sympathise?) But they’re right aren’t they?

These are the standout quotes from the world of punditry in 2019...

Forget all the marketing blurbs and advertising campaigns: is the national side really the Team of Us, or is it still primarily the preserve of those who have come through the fee-paying schools' system. Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh went in search of answers.

Liverpool, Tottenham, and Manchester City will fancy their chances of making the Champions League last eight but Bayern Munich can end Lampard’s dream

Daniel Storey breaks down the big talking points of the Manchester Derby.

Frank! Incensed! Mirth!

Jonjo Shelvey further dented Manchester City’s hopes of retaining their Premier League title as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Newcastle.

Nathan Collins is confident that decimated Ireland can keep their U21 European Championship challenge on course in Armenia today.

Is it any wonder everyone hates us?

Tottenham, who travel to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, began the job of saving their season with an encouraging 5-0 Champions League victory over Red Star Belgrade that answered Mauricio Pochettino’s prayers and provided genuine hope of a revival.

The 31-year-old has not required any medical treatment and the incident should not affect his availability for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

Manchester City have avoided a transfer ban despite admitting to breaching regulations relating to the international transfer and registration of under-18 players.

Appropriately enough for the season in which VAR takes its bow at the elite end of the English club game, the consensus is the new Premier League season will have a strong whiff of deja vu about it.

New Chelsea boss Frank Lampard says his side won’t be judged by the standard set by his all-conquering side, but he does expect them to match that team’s tireless work ethic.

Manchester United fans were involved in more football-related arrests where racism was an aggravating factor or a feature than any other club in England in the four seasons up to 2017-18, data from the UK Home Office shows.

Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand has refused to rule out the prospect of returning to the club in a technical role.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has acknowledged that it will be difficult to pass Manchester City next season because of the “financial power” enjoyed at Etihad Stadium.

With his reputation as a serial title-winner reinforced by Manchester City’s outstanding, single-point success ahead of Liverpool, Pep Guardiola admitted this triumph — his eighth championship in 11 years — was his toughest yet.

So that’s Sunday nearly wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

Manchester City have always been artists under Pep Guardiola, painting beautiful pictures on the pitch.

A modest proposal: Uefa should now do the decent thing and cancel this year’s Champions League final.

Peter Jackson gets over the gain line, behind the headline

Vincent Kompany struck a sensational winner as Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League with a dramatic and tense 1-0 win over Leicester.