Gary Neville assesses Everton’s survival hopes following FFP hammer blow

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Everyone has been keen to weigh in on Everton‘s recent plight, from the numerous journalists seeking to add insult to injury, to Jamie Carragher questioning the severity of the potential punishment.

That is, following The Telegraph’s reporting of the Premier League’s recommendation, which suggests that the Toffees should be docked 12 points for failing to abide by their profit and sustainability rules.

It is a hugely serious topic, and one which could have titanic ramifications in the top-flight status of the historic Merseyside club. Their last relegation came back in 1951, and having narrowly avoided the drop in the last two seasons, to be doomed by a sanction would be supremely harsh.

As such, Gary Neville clearly fears the worst for Farhad Moshiri’s club should the proposed punishment be ratified, as he took to Twitter to reply to a fan’s question.

When asked if he thought Everton would escape the drop this campaign, he simply replied: ‘Yes but not with a points deduction.’

With just seven points after nine games, a deduction at this stage would leave them on a laughable -5 points.

Will Everton get relegated with a points deduction?

Given they are set to endure another year floundering around the foot of the Premier League table, such a hefty sanction could prove conclusive in their desperate bid to retain their top-flight status.

After all, just last season saw them only survive on the last day of the term, finishing just two points from the drop. Were they to have had a 12-point penalty during that campaign, the Toffees would have finished rock bottom.

Then, whilst the season before that saw them achieve safety by four points, deducting such a huge number of points would have seen them comfortably relegated again.

The Premier League must surely know that such a punishment is bound to send one of their biggest clubs into the Championship, yet they seemingly remain incensed to do so.

Sean Dyche will have been scrapping for every point this year anyway, but with this fresh news, the former Burnley man will have easily the toughest task of his career to overcome such an obstacle and prove Neville wrong.