There has been plenty of talk about Financial Fair Play in the last week following confirmation of Everton's 10-point deduction. The Toffees' punishment came as a result of their losses for the financial year 2021/22, with their accounts for that year seeing them come in £19.5million over the £105million limit allowed over a three-year period.

Everton have since appealed the decision to dock them 10 points - dropping Sean Dyche's side into the relegation zone. If the appeal is unsuccessful, this will be seen as an unprecedented punishment for a Premier League team and one that could set the standard for any side that falls foul of the breaches in years to come.

FFP and the Premier League's new Profit and Sustainability rules could now threaten the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea. City were hit with 115 charges in February of this year - which they've reiterated their stance that they welcome a review - following on from an investigation of their finances.

If Pep Guardiola's side are to be found guilty of the alleged breaches then a points deduction - or worse - could be one potential punishment. Relegation and expulsion from the Premier League are other outcomes that have been discussed amongst supporters as Arsenal and City's 18 other rivals await a final decision from the investigation.

Chelsea have spent over £1billion on new signings since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed a £4billion takeover at Stamford Bridge in 2022. The Blues also face questions about their success under Roman Abramovich after leaked documents appeared to show a series of payments that potentially breached FFP rules.

Chelsea were handed a two-window transfer ban back in 2019 after 150 rule breaches involving 69 academy players over several seasons. FIFA ruled that the transfer ban was as a result of 27 breaches of FIFA rules, with others considered administrative or procedural.

READ MORE: Man City's full list of FFP charges as Arsenal await points deduction outcome

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola stance on Man City FFP charges speaks volumes as Arsenal await decision

With plenty of discussion continuing around FFP, City and Chelsea - let's take a look at the potential best-case scenario Arsenal could benefit from if their rivals are found guilty of breaching regulations.

Arsenal best-case FFP scenario examined

Given that Everton were handed a 10-point deduction for one alleged charge of breaching FFP rules, City could face an immense punishment if found guilty for allegedly breaching all 115 charges against them. This could see the reigning Premier League champions handed a huge points deduction or ultimately be relegated from the English top-flight as a whole.

Either would significantly help Arsenal on their quest towards winning a first Premier League title since 2004. The Gunners narrowly missed out on the title last term after finishing five points adrift of City.

It's unclear yet whether City would be stripped of previous titles if they are found guilty for breaching FFP regulations. Juventus were stripped of their 2004/05 league title following a match-fixing scandal which saw them get demoted into Serie B along with points deduction.

If City were handed a similar fate, it could see Arsenal be crowned as 2022/23 Premier League champions - whilst Manchester United and Liverpool could also be awarded titles after finishing second to Guardiola's side in the last five years. One thing to note is that the ongoing investigation against City is looking specifically between 2009 and 2018.

Another scenario that could benefit the Gunners would be if Chelsea are found guilty for breaching FFP regulations - which could result in the Blues being relegated from the Premier League into the Championship. The Blues have consistently competed with Arsenal for trophies over the past decade and the removal of their threat could allow Mikel Arteta's side to enjoy more success.

The Gunners drew 2-2 at Stamford Bridge earlier this season - seeing them drop points in the title race after a strong start to the campaign. If Chelsea were to be relegated, it would certainly help Arsenal avoid two tough fixtures in the season and potentially help them towards a first league title in 20 years.

Of course, both Manchester City and Chelsea have not been found to have breached any FFP rules at this stage. What happens in the future, however, remains to be seen.

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Mikel Arteta celebrates Arsenal's recent Premier League victory over Manchester City

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