18 November 2023 , 09:15
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Leicester would not have been relegated from the Premier League if Everton's point deduction had come into effect last season.
On Friday, it was confirmed that the Toffees have been docked a record-breaking 10 points after being found to have breached Premier League profit and sustainability rules. Sean Dyche's men have since moved from 14th and down into the bottom three, level on four points with 20th-place Burnley.
An independent panel confirmed the punishment, with the Premier League releasing a statement. It read: "Following a five-day hearing last month, the Commission determined that Everton FC's PSR Calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5m, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105m permitted under the PSRs.
"The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect."
Top-flight clubs are allowed to lose a maximum of £105million over a three-year period. Everton, however, were found to have recorded losses of well over that over the previous three years ending in 2021/22.
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As the rolling period finished in the summer of 2022, some fans are wondering why the Toffees have been punished now, rather than at the time. If the punishment was dished out in May 2022, Everton would have been relegated from the Premier League, with Burnley reprieved.
Sean Dyche's Everton would have been relegated if they were handed a 10-point deduction last season (Getty Images)Everton didn't get charged for breaching profit and sustainability until March of this year and were then referred to an independent commission. Once again, if Everton had been given a 10-point deduction last season, they would have finished inside the Premier League bottom three.
Instead, Dyche's side ended up staying up by the skin of their teeth on the final day, following a 1-0 win over Bournemouth at Goodison Park. Everton finished 17th on 36 points from their 38 top-flight matches, with Leicester, Leeds and Southampton being relegated to the Championship.
If their 10 points had come into an effect last season, Everton would have finished 19th on 26 points - one more than rock bottom Southampton. Leeds would have moved up to 18th and Leicester outside of the dreaded drop zone, having collected 31 and 34 points respectively.
The Foxes had spent nine years in the top flight but are now flying high at the top of the Championship. After dropping into the second tier, Leicester have won 13 of their 16 league matches, while Leeds are third and Southampton down in fourth.
However, following the news of Everton's sanction, Burnley, Leeds and Leicester have indeed confirmed their intention to sue for a cumulative total of £300million. According to the Daily Mail, senior figures at the three clubs reportedly held talks in the immediate aftermath of the Premier League's decision to reiterate their plans.
Everton, meanwhile, intend to appeal against the decision. "The Club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction," they said.
"The Club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the Club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course."