Manchester City are reportedly set to receive a huge points deduction that will see them spend multiple seasons in the Championship.The Citizens were found guilty in September on all charges relating to Premier League financial rule breaches from 2009 to 2018, and have since launched an appeal.All eyes continue to be on the Etihad Stadium with Man City at risk of relegation from the Premier LeagueGettyCity were adjudged to have artificially inflated their revenue by £900million via ‘sham’ contracts.The club won eight trophies during the period in which they are alleged to have breached financial rules, including three league titles.Continuing to deny any wrongdoing, City launched an appeal on October 2, and claim they are backed by a ‘comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence’.While it is not yet clear when exactly City will learn their punishment, there has been huge speculation over what this could look like.Should their appeal fail, among the possible sanctions touted are hefty fines, points deductions, stripped titles and relegation.Second tier awaits?According to the Daily Mail, Man City’s eventual punishment could leave them feeling the effects beyond this season.Their report – based on insider information – claims the club are set to be handed a brutal points deduction that will guarantee their relegation.Enzo Maresca’s side currently sit three points clear of the Premier League table with seven wins from seven, but they could soon be facing life in the second tier for at least a year.The Mail report that City’s most likely punishment is a ‘swingeing’ points deduction which will leave them with no chance of survival.With a hefty fine also said to be on the cards, there is even a possibility of a further points deduction which will effectively see them remain in the Championship for a second season.City are the only Premier League team still with a 100 per cent record this term, but that could end up counting for nothingAFPWhile the EFL would not be mandated to accept that punishment for one of their clubs, the claims suggest that it is likely that they would.One sanction dismissed in the report is the possibility of City being expelled from the Premier League and having to start again at the bottom of the English football pyramid in League Two.It adds that expulsion from the top flight is unlikely because it plunge the EFL into chaos, due to the knock-on effect it could have across the divisions.When will Man City learn their fate?While a stinging punishment for the Citizens could now be looming, it remains to be seen when exactly they could learn their fate.The Mail report that the Premier League is currently pushing for City’s punishment to be announced before the result of their appeal.Nonetheless, a final decision is expected in early 2027 as a result of strict Premier League timeframes which dictate an outcome must be reached 12 weeks after the appeal is launched.Enzo Maresca must continue to motivate his players while their future hangs in the balanceGettyThat’s despite talkSPORT’s Martin Keown revealing on Monday that he had heard speculation of it being delivered before the end of 2026, and with a sanction less severe than the Mail’s report.Keown said: “I’m hearing rumours that this will be all over in a few weeks and it won’t be nearly as bad as we think it might be. “Maybe they get off with a big fine and we return to the football pitch.”