Man City are fined over £2m for breaking Premier League rule 22 times - as the division release statement confirming its champions accept breach of little-known regulation

Manchester City have been fined more than £2million by the Premier League for delaying kick off to matches.

The champions reached a sanction agreement with the league over 22 separate charges, all related to the past two seasons.

City were adjudged to have delayed the kick off to the second half of their final game of last term, victory over West Ham, by two minutes and 46 seconds on the day they clinched a fourth consecutive title.

The fines range from £10,000 to £200,000, the lowest for the first offence and the highest as a result of the West Ham fixture.

18 of the incidents relate to restarts after the break, with delaying that and kick off for one match - against Newcastle United last August.

City accepted the Premier League's decision, which was ratified by a three-person independent panel.

'The breaches relate to a number of Premier League matches during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons,' a Premier League statement said.

'Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organisation of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs.

'It also ensures the broadcast of all 380 League matches around the world is kept to schedule.'

Pep Guardiola's side were found to have delayed restarts by 39 mins and 52 seconds in total in 23 late kick-offs across 22 games in the last two seasons.

Crystal Palace were fined for similar last season, with the Eagles charged for two breaches in 2022. 

City's hearing on 115 charges for alleged financial breaches, a far more serious case, is expected to be heard in the coming months.

City declined to comment.