24 November 2023 , 21:29
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Graeme Souness has insisted that Liverpool fans will give their backing to Everton following the Toffees' points deduction.
Their bitter rivals were handed the punishment a week ago after being found guilty of breaking profit and sustainability rules by an independent commission. Everton were left furious by the decision and immediately announced they would be appealing against it.
The club's fans are also planning to protest against the Premier League during Sunday's clash with Manchester United. Former Reds player and manager Souness believes that his old team's fans will lend their full support to the Toffees, despite their rivalry.
"I worked in the city of Liverpool for nine years and know it as a place that unites very quickly when there is a sense of injustice. That is why I believe that many Liverpool supporters will not enjoy, one bit, the way that Everton have been treated by the Premier League with that 10-point deduction," he told the Daily Mail.
"And of course, the reaction of Everton fans speaks for itself. I think Everton can rightly feel aggrieved, when there are charges hanging over the head of another club. The Premier League charged Everton with breaches of sustainability rules in March and within eight months have now imposed a tough punishment.
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"They used to call matches between us and them ‘the friendly derby’ when I was playing. It’s no longer the case, of course, yet I do believe there will still be some empathy, club for club. You don’t take on Merseyside lightly."
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Graeme Souness believes Liverpool fans will have sympathy with Everton (Sky Sports)Souness' comments appear to fall in line with the view of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. The German has admitted that he would likely follow the same path as Everton and appeal against a deduction.
"I'm absolutely not in the subject to be honest. Did I know that there was a [appeal]? No, I don't think I knew it," Klopp said when asked about Everton's deduction in his press conference on Friday.
"I just heard about it, the 10 points. There was a lot of discussion. I heard they will appeal it. That's it. Everybody would do that probably but that's all I can say about it."
Meanwhile, Everton boss Sean Dyche has been left furious by the deduction. The Toffees chief was on holiday when he was told the news, though he is trying to keep his side's focus on the pitch.
"Like everyone in these parts, I was shocked [by the decision]. The wave of noise after that suggests most people around football are shocked. The enormity of it, disproportionate is a word that has been used by the club. Obviously, we are going to feel aggrieved by that," he said.
"On the other hand, it doesn't change the focus. The focus since I got here has been sorting things out on the pitch. Getting the team to win, getting the team to feel different, the performances to feel different."