How £35m Everton payment could create benchmark for possible Manchester City settlements

Everton fans reacted in their thousands after Manchester City were found guilty of breaking financial rules in the Premier League.

The footballing world was shook on Friday as it was announced that City had been found guilty in 114 of their 115 alleged charges.

Despite this, Khaldoon Al Mubarak remains confident of proving innocence at the Etihad Stadium.

All eyes are now on possible sanctions from the Premier League, with anything from points deductions to immediate relegation suggested.

With an appeal likely coming, though, it will be months, maybe even longer until a final decision is confirmed.

Now, this is where Everton could come into it.

Everton's chequered past with Premier League

In recent years, Everton and Nottingham Forest have been handed points deductions.

They were both for PSR breaches, so fans of both clubs are expecting similar punishments, regardless if it's Man City or anybody.

Everton were deducted eight points in total over two periods, although the first of those was reduced down to six in 2023.

It didn't end there, though.

After that, clubs sought financial compensation, which is allowed if rules are broken and cause others loss.

What did Everton have to pay?

Everton finished 16th in 2021-22 on 39 points.

Behind them, Leeds were on 38 points and safe, while Burnley were relegated with 35 points.

The Toffees found a settlement with Leeds back in 2025, unknown how much but likely based around merit payments in the Premier League, so under £5million.

Burnley argued that if Everton's point deduction was applied in the season of the breach, they would have had a better chance of survival.

After that, the Blues were ordered to pay them £35million, although that has been appealed.

On the pitch, David Moyes and James Tarkowski are just concentrating on looking up, rather than at things like this.

Could this become benchmark for Man City?

The Premier League will seek its own punishment for these breaches, if the appeal is unsuccessful.

But, individual clubs will have their own fights against City.

There is said to be little appetite to strip them of Premier League titles won during this time, three in total, via the BBC.

But, with Manchester United finishing second two of those times, and Liverpool once, they could seek financial compensation.

It's worth around £3million-per-place in the Premier League, so could every club who has played in a season with City claim they should have finished a spot higher and seek that compensation?

Everton's payment to Burnley is one of the first based solely on financial breaches, so that will be used.

The problem is that nobody knows specifics and who will actually seek compensation.

There is so much more mess to sort out before we even get to that stage, with years of this likely still to come.