Four players set to miss out on Premier League winners’ medals despite playing for Man City this season
Despite playing for Manchester City this season, four players will not get Premier League winners’ medals.
City won their fourth successive Premier League title, becoming the first English team to do so in top-flight history, with a final-day victory against West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.
Phil Foden’s second-minute strike soothed City supporters’ concerns, and the England star added a second before halftime.
Although Mohammed Kudus responded with an incredible bicycle kick, Rodri’s second-half drive finished the match.
City will therefore collect their Premier League champions’ medals, with the league awarding 40 medals to manager Pep Guardiola, the players, and the coaching/backroom staff.
The regulation is that any player who has made at least five Premier League appearances will earn one.
This season, 21 City players have appeared in the Premier League, giving the club 19 medals to split with the coaches and other members of the playing team, if they so want.
Clubs can seek extra medals from the Premier League, but only if 39 or more players make five or more appearances.
As it stands, four players are poised to miss out on medals despite having a (little) role in City’s victory this season – but there is a possible technicality involved.
All four of those players are no longer with the club, with two leaving on permanent contracts.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer, who has 22 league goals and 10 assists for the Blues this season, has only played one game for City this season, a 10-minute cameo off the bench in the opening day 3-0 triumph against Burnley.
That match also marked the final appearance of centre-back Aymeric Laporte, who departed the club to join Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr later that month.
The other two players who did not formally qualify for a medal are West Ham loanee Kalvin Phillips, who played four games, and Sheffield United loanee James McAtee, who played one.
As previously said, City can opt to present medals to those four players – and may still do so – but this may come at the price of another member of the club’s setup, given their extensive roster of backroom staff members.
