Manchester City's dynasty will end, but who will claim the throne next?

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

Manchester City clinched a historic fourth consecutive Premier League title Sunday, continuing a dynasty that has seen them win six of the last seven English top flight titles.

Only their crosstown rivals Manchester United own a similar run of dominance, winning seven titles in the span of nine seasons from 1993 to 2001.

But as clubs and fans alike well know, good things always come to an end and there are 115 reasons why City's dynasty will end sooner rather than later.

The Premier League announced in February 2023 that Manchester City would face 115 charges of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules - regulations designed to prevent clubs from spending more than they earn - in a period stemming from the 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons. City won four titles in that time frame.

The club is still waiting for its first hearing in the legal proceedings but other teams like Everton and Nottingham Forest had FFP charges levied and standings points deductions applied during this past season. Both teams avoided relegation from the league.

The magnitude of charges City faces, however, would likely result in far more serious penalties if found guilty. Best case scenario would be upwards of 30-40 points deducted next season or if the league really brings the hammer down, potential multi-tier forced relegation.

Even in the unfathomable scenario where Manchester City is found innocent of all charges, winning a fifth consecutive league title is highly unlikely.

Core players from this title streak like Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker and John Stones are aging, and if the aforementioned penalties are leveled against the club then it's also unlikely it can replace them with quality players on top of replacing any players who would leave due to relegation clauses in their contracts.

And if that isn't enough evidence of regression, manager Pep Guardiola threatened in 2022 to leave the club if the rumored allegations were proven true. His contract is set to end after the 2024-25 season and he told Sky Sports after lifting the trophy that he was "closer to leaving Man City than staying."

So when City eventually falls from glory, who will be waiting in the wings to vie for the throne? Here are a few contenders.

Arsenal: Mikel Arteta's side has come a close second to Man City the last two seasons, winning the most games in club history this last campaign and setting other notable marks not even the 2003-04 league champion 'Invincibles' achieved. The Gunners are one surefire striker away from potentially establishing their own dynasty.

Chelsea: Even after losing manager Mauricio Pochettino after one season, the Blues have the talent to make a charge at the top of the table. Club owner Todd Boehly spent £1 billion on player transfers in his first three years and the second half of this season started to bear the fruit of that labor. Chelsea earned 38 points over its last 19 matches and moved up from 10th to 6th in the final weeks. If it finds a manager willing to handle the pressure, Chelsea is a diamond waiting to emerge.

Liverpool: Replacing legendary manager Jurgen Klopp with an up-and-coming Arne Slot will obviously foster some growing pains, especially with aging core players Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk on the downslope of their careers. But it was the perfect mix of youth and veteran leadership that helped push Klopp and the Reds to their Man City-busting title in 2020. Liverpool will never walk alone in the title chase but will certainly be in it.

Manchester United: After a dismal showing in the Premier League and Champions League this season, the Red Devils could salvage the 2023-24 campaign with a signature win over rival Man City in the FA Cup Final on Saturday. But going forward, manager Eric ten Hag has his work cut out for him - if he survives the offseason. Man United certainly has the young talent to challenge for the title - people forget it finished third in the final standings in 2022-23 - but replacing aging pieces in Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Christian Eriksen and figuring out what to do with subpar performers Casemiro and Andre Onana will be top priorities.

Keep an eye on Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Newcastle as well. While they may not realistically challenge for the Premier League title immediately, they possess world-class managers and could be just a few signings plus a couple upset wins away from a 2015-16 Leicester City-esque season.

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