April 8 – Everton have been deducted two points for a second breach of the English Premier League’s financial rules, plunging the club back towards the relegation zone with seven games remaining.
Everton had already received a six-point deduction – reduced from an initial 10 following an appeal – for overspending in a three-year spell up to the end of the 2021-22 season.
The latest punishment, handed out by a separate independent commission, came after Everton were found to have spent too much in the three seasons up to 2022-23.
The league’s profit and financial sustainability rules allow clubs to lose a maximum of £105 million over a three-year period or face sanctions. Everton overspent by £16.6 million.
Everton had, in effect, already been punished for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, partly explaining why the second points deduction was less.
The club did, though, say it was “extremely concerned by the inconsistency of different commissions in respect of points deductions applied” and have announced it will again appeal.
The deduction means Everton – who have played in England’s top division since 1954 – drop below Brentford into 16th place on 27 points, only two points above Luton in 18th in the 20-team league.
Announcing their appeal, Everton said: “While the club’s position has been that no further sanction was appropriate, the club is pleased to see that the commission has given credit to the majority of the issues raised by the club, including the concept of double punishment, the significant mitigating circumstances facing the club due to the war in Ukraine, and the high level of co-operation and early admission of the club’s breach.”
The Toffees added they were “extremely concerned” at the “inconsistency” of the punishments, with four different commissions issuing four different points deductions this season.
The reference to the war is linked to Everton majority owner Farhad Moshiri, a British-Iranian billionaire, and his close business relationship with Russian metals tycoon Alisher Usmanov. Usmanov was sanctioned by the European Union in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prompting the need for Everton to halt its major sponsorship with companies belonging to Usmanov in March 2022.
Everton apparently invited the independent commission to defer the latest sanction until next season, a request reported to have been rejected.
Nottingham Forest, who are two points and one place below Everton, have also been sanctioned for breaching the league’s financial rules after admitting to going over the threshold by £34.5 might. Forest were handed a four-point deduction and are also appealing though neither appeal might be ruled on before the end of the season.
That could potentially cause chaos with the identities of the relegated teams possibly not be known until days after the season has finished.
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