Premier League goes tough on Everton: Blue half of Liverpool sinks by ten points

The Premier League has slapped a substantial penalty against Everton, deducting 10 points from their tally due to breaches of the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs). This deduction has put Everton down to 19th place in the table.

This action stems from alleged violations that occurred during the 2021/22 season, leading to the club being referred to an independent commission in March. The Commission's hearing, held last month, investigated Everton's financial conduct, particularly concerning the staggering reported losses of nearly $462 million over a three-year period.

These financial losses significantly exceeded the limits set by the Premier League's guidelines, which allow clubs to sustain losses within a specific threshold over a rolling three-year timeframe. The reported breaches primarily related to accounting treatments, which the Premier League argued resulted in Everton violating the PSRs.

The independent Commission, following the five-day hearing, determined that Everton's financial calculations for the relevant period revealed a loss of $155 million. This amount exceeded the permissible threshold of $130 million outlined in the PSRs. Consequently, the Commission imposed a 10-point deduction on Everton as a sporting sanction due to the breach of the PSRs, and this penalty is effective immediately.

The deduction of 10 points has significantly affected Everton's position in the Premier League standings, pushing them down to the 19th spot.

Everton responded with a statement saying they were "both shocked and disappointed" by the ruling - and will file an official complaint.

"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 recognise 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."