Wayne Rooney adamant: I wouldn't accept a winners' medal if Manchester City are stripped of titles

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has reiterated his stance on the Manchester City case, stating he would not feel comfortable being awarded a Premier League winners' medal retrospectively if their local rivals are stripped of their titles.

Manchester City were found guilty on the majority of charges brought by the Premier League, with the club already appealing the independent commission's decision and maintaining their innocence. Although the Enzo Maresca-led side returned to domestic action with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Liverpool, the threat of severe sanctions remains firmly on the table.

Speaking on BBC's Match of the Day, the former England international shared his perspective on the difficult situation:

"They could just as easily be fighting for the title as they could find themselves in a relegation scrap. Nobody knows how this will all unfold. It is an unpleasant situation, but as far as the players are concerned, all they can do is go out there and do their job. As I've said before, the higher authorities and the independent panel will decide on any punishment. The players just have to play and focus on beating whoever is in front of them."

Asked by presenter Kelly Cates whether he would accept a gold medal retrospectively after United finished runners-up to City during the period under investigation, Rooney was unequivocal:

"It's a complicated situation. I look at it from the players' point of view. I assume they didn't know what was happening off the pitch. They went out, played, and won the league, while we finished second. We didn't finish top. Why would we want a medal for second place?"