Everton: Another six-point penalty ‘very likely’ after appeal verdict – Kaveh Solhekol
Everton are “very likely” to receive a further six-point deduction after learning the outcome of their appeal against a 10-point punishment on Monday, according to Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol.
The Toffees were hit with the punishment way back on November 17 after being found guilty of flouting the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
However, Everton challenged that decision and an independent commission opted to reduce the sanction by four points (David Ornstein for the Athletic, 26 February).
It means Everton climb up to 15th in the table for now but they are still waiting to hear any sanction they will receive for a second PSR charge and Solhekol thinks a benchmark has now been set for PSR breaches.
Speaking live on Sky Sports News (26 February, 13:30), he said: “In the short term of course it’s good news but I would have concerns over what this means in the long term because Everton are facing a second charge and if a precedent has now been set that if you break these financial rules you are going to be hit with a six-point penalty then if they get the same penalty for the second charge they’re going to get another six-point penalty.
“At the moment they’re up to 15th in table with 25 points, but if they get a six-point penalty for a second charge they’d be back down to 19th place because they would lose another six points.
“In the short term it’s pretty good news, I think if you’re an Everton fan you would have been hoping you wouldn’t have had a points deduction at all, that all the 10-point deduction would have been returned and hit with just a financial penalty like a big fine.
“As it is, it’s a little bit of good news, not too much I wouldn’t be getting too carried away if I was an Everton supporter and I think Everton fans will still be angry about this whole process and also the fact they are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the Premier League and they still have to fight another charge as well.
“If the outcome is the same as the first charge then it’s very likely they’ll get another six-point deduction.”
Will Everton get another six-point deduction?
The honest truth is that no one really knows if Everton are going to be punished with another six-point penalty for their second charge for flouting PSR rules.
Of course, the sensible view is that well if one charge equals six points then surely any charge also equals six points. Certainly Nottingham Forest, who were charged at the same time of Everton’s second charge, will be thinking that they are going to get a six-point penalty.
The thing is, though, Everton will argue that much of their second charge covers the same time period as their first and as such they should not be hit with any more points deductions because it would be essentially a double jeopardy where they have been punished for the same rule break twice.
Whether that will wash with a different independent commission remains to be seen, though, and there is – sadly – a very realistic chance that Everton will get another six-point deduction.
In other Everton news, a finance expert says the Toffees need quick answers from the Premier League over their 777 Partners takeover.
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