Despite Everton’s first punishment being lowered on appeal, Jamie Carragher thinks the team will lose a further “one or two” points from their Premier League total.
Due to suspected violations of Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, the Toffees were docked 10 points in November; however, as of last week, this punishment had been lowered to six points.
With Everton now five points above the relegation zone, Sean Dyche’s team’s prospects of remaining in the Premier League were greatly increased by the news of their successful appeal.
But in a blow that would immediately return Everton to the mix, Carragher has hinted that another point deduction may be on the way.
Carragher stated on the Stick to Football podcast by Sky Bet:
“Everton’s sanction is from last season, whereas the Nottingham Forest situation is from this season. However, the problem with Everton is because it’s a three-year period, the new sanction includes two [from the previous two years].
“What they’re saying is: ‘we’ve already been punished for those three years and two of those [charges] are in there so we can’t get punished again another six points, when we’ve already been punished for those two years’. I think Everton might get one or two points, and Nottingham Forest will probably get six [points].”
Everton’s first deduction was a penalty for violating profit and sustainability rules over the three years leading up to 2021/22.
Since then, they have been under investigation for more suspected breaches in their 2022–2023 accounts. The Toffees now have to wait with bated breath to find out if they will face sanctions once again.
Forest might perhaps lose points soon because they were also accused of violations over the same time frame.
The case needs to be heard by April 8 at the latest, although an appeal may push back the hearing date until May 24, the week following the Premier League season.