Manchester City have confirmed they will not be placing any of their non-playing staff on furlough due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Premier League champions are the first club in the English top-flight to confirm that they will not be furloughing staff.

Newcastle United, Tottenham, Norwich City, Bournemouth and Liverpool have all decided to avail of the UK government's scheme which pays the majority of the wages.

City have chosen not to go down the same route with a spokesperson for the club saying: "We can confirm, following a decision by the chairman and board last week, that Manchester City will not be utilising the UK Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (government funded furloughing).

"We remain determined to protect our people, their jobs and our business, whilst at the same time doing what we can to support our wider community at this most challenging time for everybody."

Both Tottenham and Liverpool in particular have come in for heavy criticism over their decision.

Under the UK government's scheme the taxpayer covers 80% of the non-playing employees wage, up to £2,500 a month while the club pays the other 20%.

The Merseyside club's decision to furlough staff came just weeks after announcing a record-breaking £42 million profit off the back of their Champions League success.

The club's supporters and ex-players like Jamie Carragher have hit out at the decision.

"Jurgen Klopp showed compassion for all at the start of this pandemic," wrote Carragher in a Twitter post, "senior players heavily involved in Premier League players taking wage cuts. 

"Then all that respect & goodwill is lost, poor this Liverpool."

Tottenham, who lost to Liverpool in last year's Champions League decider, also posted huge profits when revealing their financial results last month.

While their profits were down from the previous year, the London club made £68.6 million after tax.