Everton planning to appeal against two-point deduction for second rule breach

Everton are planning to appeal against their two-point deduction for a second breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

The Toffees have already been hit by a six-point sanction this season relating to breaching PSR in the assessment period up to the 2021-22 season.

Everton have now been handed a further punishment for the three-year cycle to 2022-23, dropping them one spot to 16th in the Premier League table, two points above the relegation zone.

The Premier League said in a statement: “An independent commission has given an immediate two-point deduction to Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSRs) for the period ending season 2022/23.

“Over a three-day hearing last month, the independent commission heard evidence and arguments from the club in respect of a range of potential mitigating factors for its admitted breach of £16.6million, including the impact of its two successive PSR charges.

“Having done so, the commission determined the appropriate sanction to be a two-point deduction, taking effect immediately.

“The independent commission reaffirmed the principle that any breach of the PSRs is significant and justifies, indeed requires, a sporting sanction.”

The written reasons show the Premier League felt five points was the appropriate starting place for a sanction, comprised of three for the PSR breach and two for exceeding the upper loss threshold by 15.8 per cent – £16.6 million.

But the independent commission knocked off two points as Everton had already been punished this season “for losses in years which overlap with the years at issue in these proceedings”.

A further point was reduced to a combination of the loss of sponsorship of Russian company USM and the fact the club admitted guilt at the first opportunity.

Despite that, Everton plan to appeal against the two-point punishment.

The Toffees said in a statement: “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.

“Everton remains committed to working collaboratively with the league on all matters relating to PSR but is extremely concerned by the inconsistency of different commissions in respect of points deductions applied.

“The club would like to place on record its thanks to the Fan Advisory Board and other fan groups for their submissions during this process, and to all Evertonians for their ongoing patience and unstinting support.

“The club and its legal representatives have begun the preparations to appeal the commission’s decision.”

Everton found out in February that their appeal against the punishment dished out in November for their first PSR breach had been reduced from 10 points to six.

The appeal board rejected seven grounds for mitigation put forward by the club, but did find the original commission made legal errors.

Last month fellow Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest were punished for their own PSR breach, leading them to be docked four points.

The Premier League said Forest admitted breaching those rules by £34.5m above their permitted threshold of £61m.

Forest are awaiting the results of their appeal.

Last month also saw Leicester referred to an independent commission by the Premier League for an alleged breach of PSR for the period ending 2022-23.

The Championship leaders went on to announce they had launched “urgent legal proceedings” against the Premier League and the EFL.

The Premier League has yet to issue an update on the 115 charges laid against Manchester City in February 2023 for alleged breaches of financial rules.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters told MPs in January that a date had been set and the case was “progressing”.

Everton have seven Premier League matches remaining this season and travel to Chelsea next Monday.

The club remains in the midst of a protracted takeover, with owner Farhad Moshiri recently saying the sale was in “the home straight” after first agreeing a deal with prospective owners 777 Partners last September.

The MLS Team of the Week: Matchday 8
FotMob - April 8, 2024, 3:18 PM
Our MLS expert James Nalton picks five of the standout players from Matchday 8 in Major League Soccer, including his two North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) Player of the Matchday votes.

By James Nalton
A comeback from three goals down and a 101st-minute winner: just another standard week in American soccer.

While New York Red Bulls, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Philadelphia Union set the tone for team performance, occupying the top three spots in the Supporters’ Shield standings, the most notable individual performances came from elsewhere in the league.

Two of them came from one game in particular, which combined a great team performance with standout individual displays, and two of the best of Matchday 8.

The Top Two
9.1 FotMob Rating: Raúl Ruidíaz – Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders have been the most disappointing, underperforming team in MLS so far this season, but when they did finally manage to win their first game, they did so in style.

It arrived in the form of a 5-0 demolishing of CF Montreal this weekend, with contributions from across the team.


Having scored twice already this season, it was no surprise that Peruvian striker Ruidíaz played a big part in this first win.

It was a much-neeed performance from the number nine, and he opened the scoring with a great goal, fired into the far corner with his left foot from outside the area.

It set the tone for the rest of the game for the Sounders, and he stepped up to score the second from the penalty spot.

From there, Seattle and their fans had some fun, and not before time in 2024.

9.1 FotMob Rating: Alex Roldán – Seattle Sounders
Ruidíaz was one of several standout players in Seattle green during the win against Montreal.

The contribution from his teammate Alex Roldán was such that the right-back was almost like an extra midfielder and winger when needed, as well as doing his defensive duties as part of the back four.

He was at the heart of everything the Sounders did, both in possession and out of it.

Roldán finished the game having had the most touches (104), the second most completed passes (66), three dribbles completed, the most passes into the final third (16), and the most defensive actions on his team (nine).

He rounded off his performance with a goal, showing his attacking instincts by drifting in at the far post to finish Albert Rusnák’s cross, sent in following a neat one-two with Ruidíaz, exhibiting everything good about this Seattle performance.


Three more standout performers
9.1 FotMob Rating: Sebastián Driussi – Austin FC
When Austin FC scored three goals within five minutes to give them a 3-2 lead midway through the second half against San Jose Earthquakes, it looked like they had done enough to come back brilliantly and record their second victory in a row to make up for their poor start to the 2024 MLS season.

But San Jose equalised through Amahl Pellegrino with 15 minutes to go, and as the game reached the tenth minute of added time it looked like any chance for either side to record a win had gone.

Step forward Driussi, who had scored a penalty to kickstart Austin’s earlier scoring spree.

In the eleventh minute of added time, the ball fell to him on the edge of the area and he fired it into the bottom corner to give his side a dramatic, late win, much to the delight of the home fans.


8.9 FotMob Rating: Maarten Paes – FC Dallas
It was a case of though shalt not pass Paes as FC Dallas played out a 0-0 draw with St. Louis City on Saturday.

Sometimes the games that produce no goals can still produce some of the week’s standout players.

Both goalkeepers made great saves to keep clean sheets for their teams, but it was the Dutchman Paes who just had the edge over the ever-impressive St. Louis stopper Roman Bürki in this great game for the goalkeepers union.

Paes made seven saves in the game with standout stops from Anthony Markanich and Célio Pompeu, and a particularly brilliant reaction save from Klaus.

Paes could soon be representing the country of his grandmother’s birth, Indonesia, at international level, and this has attracted plenty of attention to his performances from the Southeast Asian nation.

His new fans will have been more than pleased with what they saw this weekend.


8.6 FotMob rating: Willy Agada – Sporting KC
It could and should have been so much more for Agada and Sporting KC this weekend, but the Nigerian’s performance was notable nevertheless.

Sporting will have been bitterly disappointed to not have held on to their lead against Portland Timbers in the round’s final game on Sunday afternoon.

They were 3-0 up at halftime but conceded three in the second half to Phil Neville’s side to end the game with just a point.

Agada had a good chance early on which he could not take, but shortly after rifled a shot into the corner via a deflection to open the scoring.

Then just before halftime, he turned in a second and his team’s third, but it all went sour in the second half.

Had Agada converted his chance from the penalty spot to make it 4-0, three points would surely have arrived for Sporting, and with them a place for Agada in this week’s Team of the Week.

But he sent it wide of the post and Portland came back to salvage a point—the fine margins of football.


(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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