The Premier League’s stance is fairly clear. Broadcasters spend billions of pounds for the rights to screen matches and part of the deal is knowing, within reason, when they are likely to end.
Not every eventuality can be factored in as players get injured. But the kick-off time and half-time break are controllable.
City argue it was a difficult season, which is true. But the first breach came during a victory over Southampton in October, when they were still unbeaten, were leading at half-time and made no changes during the interval. Yet they were still two minutes and 10 seconds late back onto the pitch.
The sympathetic assessment is Guardiola and his staff are so wrapped up in the messages they deliver that they forget they are over-running.
The less kind view is that they pay no attention.
