Manchester City finally broke through in the third round of the league, delivering an emphatic six-goal victory. After the match, Richard O'Neill praised his team's performance with evident satisfaction.
As the final whistle blew and the celebrations died down, Richard's attention began shifting away from the pitch—towards the club's operations. His mind drifted toward a familiar concern: money.
Last season, City earned approximately £6 million from television broadcast revenue, thanks in large part to their League Cup victory. About 70% of that came from the Premier League alone.
This season's revenue was expected to surpass that by a considerable margin. At first glance, five or six million pounds might not seem exceptional, but according to the Premier League's broadcasting deal at the time, the average club earned around £3 million.
In other words, City was already punching well above average.
