English football was given a serious jolt this week as the FA handed down an immediate 10-point deduction to Everton as punishment for breaching Financial Fair Play rules. It’s the largest point deduction in top-flight history.
The Toffees will likely remain safe, though. The punishment doesn’t actually put them bottom of the league and their recent form suggests they’ll still climb out of the relegation zone, even with the hit. The bigger story here, then, could be what’s coming. Everton were given this deduction for a single breach of FFP but, as The Times point out, Manchester City are under investigation for 115 alleged breaches. Chelsea, too, are under scrutiny for a series of payments under Roman Abramovich.
The paper again suggests that relative to the crime here, both City and Chelsea are under the threat of far more serious punishments than Everton. Punishments that could ultimately see them relegated from the Premier League.
Whether that’s with an official relegation as a punishment or just an enormous points deduction doesn’t really matter. Either way, the two clubs are on course for the Championship as things stand. It’s said that we might not learn exactly what’s to come for another two years, such is the size of this investigation. But major questions are now asked.
And then there’s Liverpool. Clubs are reportedly lining up to sue Everton as the Toffees essentially remained in the Premier League at their expense and did so on the back of illegal payments.
Well, Liverpool have consistently missed out on Premier League titles on the back of City’s alleged illegal payments. It will be a case of wait-and-see, of course, as this has a while to run, but the Reds will certainly be watching this one closely.
Manchester City and Chelsea reportedly face a threat of relegation in light of Everton’s punishment this week.
