Everton have been docked a record 10 points following an alleged breach of Premier League profit and sustainability rules.
The Premier League recommended a record-breaking punishment for the Toffees, whose case was referred to an independent commission back in March. It is alleged the club breached sustainability rules in the 2021/22 campaign. The previous record for point deductions stands at nine.
Everton reacted to the ruling with a statement of their own where they expressed their “shock” and “disappointment” at the ruling.
The statement read, “Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the ruling of the Premier League’s Commission. The Club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction. The Club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the Club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course”.
“Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process. The Club does not recognize the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings”.
“Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the Commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted”.
“The Club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules. Everton cannot comment on this matter any further until the appeal process has concluded.”
Everton, managed by Sean Dyche, have dropped to 19th in the Premier League table following the points deduction, with goal difference alone keeping them above rock bottom Burnley.
The Premier League also reacted to Friday’s announcement with a statement of their own, which read: “An independent Commission has imposed an immediate deduction of 10 points on Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules”.
“The Premier League issued a complaint against the Club and referred the case to an independent Commission earlier this year. During the proceedings, the Club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute”.
“Following a five-day hearing last month, the Commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR Calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5m, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105m permitted under the PSRs. The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.
In the wake of Everton’s statement criticizing the ruling, fans of the club also took to social media to vent their disbelief. One fan posted, “It’s time to go to war over all this. Everton being used to make an example of and it’s not acceptable. Points deduction. Pathetic”.
Another fan posted: “Us vs the world now. Get the atmosphere going every game, ‘Premier League Corrupt’ banners all around the ground. We can stay up 100%.”
Other fans made light of the ongoing investigation into Premier League champions Manchester City, who were charged with numerous alleged breaches of financial rules earlier this year. Chelsea are also under investigation.
One user on social media posted: “Now can the Premier League go after Man City and Chelsea please. If you’re punishing Everton….”.
Jamie Carragher also hit out at the severity of the penalty on social media shortly after it was confirmed. He said: “The 10 point deduction for Everton is excessive & not right, considering they have been working with the PL about this for the last couple of years. Would it have been better to be evasive & try & drag it out like other clubs”?
“No doubt relegated clubs will have put big pressure on the PL to deal with Everton, but when you consider 6 clubs tried to leave the PL & there was no sanction at all it doesn’t feel right. Until other clubs are sanctioned Everton will feel they are being used to show there is no need for an independent regulator, and they are right.”
When he was asked whether or not the impending point deduction would increase the pressure on him and his team last month, Dyche replied: “No. To be honest, ever since I’ve been here there’s been pressure. There’s pressure on all sorts (of things) around Everton Football Club”.
“We’ve been trying to stay calm within lots of different challenges here. I think we mostly have done. (We are) trying to get things right on the pitch or better, certainly, and trying to improve other areas of the club. There’s so much noise here, to be honest”.
“It’s just another part of it. (We are) trying to change the noise into a more positive feel about the club – not just team, the whole club. We’re trying to work to do that. Every time you’re just about getting there, another thing comes up. It’s one of them things.”
Prior to Friday’s announcement, Everton had been on an upward trajectory having won six of their last nine matches in all competitions. They head into the international break with an impressive 3-2 win away at Crystal Palace.