Everton points deduction: ‘Huge’ development is a game-changer – O’Rourke
Everton no longer depend on the outcome of their points deduction appeal after their Premier League status was confirmed.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke noted that it is “huge” that the Toffees will no longer rely on earning points back from their appeal as their top-flight status is safe for another season.
Sean Dyche guided Everton to a 1-0 win against Brentford on Saturday (27 April) at Goodison Park after a solid defensive display and a well-taken winner from Idrissa Gueye.
The three points mean the Toffees mathematically can’t be relegated and now only Burnley, Luton Town and Nottingham Forest are at risk of dropping to the Championship along with rock-bottom Sheffield United.
Everton appeal inconsequential after top-flight status confirmed
The victory brought them up to 36 points in the Premier League table – 11 points ahead of the 18th-place Hatters.
Everton were hit with a two-point deduction last month (8 April) after they breached the allowed losses threshold of £105million by £16.6million in the three-year period up until the 2022-23 season.
They launched an appeal, which is still ongoing, and a verdict is set to be revealed before the end of the season.
Well-placed sources have told Football Insider (20 April) that the club hope to reclaim one point from the appeal, with the double jeopardy defence as their main line of argument.
Nottingham Forest were hit with a four-point deduction for a similar breach to Everton’s and their appeal verdict is set to be revealed before the Merseysiders’.
O’Rourke noted that the result of the Reds’ appeal could provide insight into any potential change to Everton’s sanction.
A reduction of the Toffees’ charge could prove financially fruitful for the cash-strapped club if it moves them up the table as, typically, higher-placed clubs earn a bigger share of the Premier League prize money.
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