Premier League clubs will hold a crucial vote on Friday on sponsorship rules which have been challenged by Manchester City.

Both sides claimed victory last month after an arbitration panel found that some elements of the league’s Associated Party Transaction rules were unlawful.

The Premier League will ask clubs to vote on amendments tomorrow which it believes will make the rules lawful and compliant with UK competition law.

The league needs 14 clubs to vote in favour for the amendments to be passed.

Aston Villa have said they will support City and vote against the amendments.

Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris has written to the other 19 clubs asking them to wait 90 days to consider the tribunal’s findings before holding a vote.

The league’s proposed amendments would see the rate of interest on shareholder loans being subject to the fair market value test, without the interest charges being backdated on existing loans.

Eight clubs supported the league with evidence during this summer’s arbitration hearing – Arsenal, Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester United, West Ham and Wolves.

City’s general counsel Simon Cliff wrote to The FA and the 19 other clubs warning them against voting for amendments which “entail material legal risk”.

Tomorrow’s meeting is a scheduled shareholders’ meeting which is being held just three miles away from the ongoing 115 charges case involving City and the Premier League.

The fact the vote is definitely going ahead would seem to suggest that the league is confident it has enough support for the amendments to pass.