Premier League’s ‘desire to crush Everton’ questioned amid points deduction threat

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Everton’s reaction to the Super League was one which many expected, with their dismissal and condemnation well-documented.

It was a torrid week for world football, in which six Premier League sides threatened to tear apart natural order in favour of boosting their coffers and dismissing the rest of the football pyramid.

And yet, the punishment was minimal, dishing out a pathetic £3.6m fine for each club amidst claims that the owners should be sanctioned, not the fans.

It seems taht such a notion has been abandoned with the Toffees though, as a reported 12-point deduction looms following their flouting of Financial Fair Play rules.

After a gruelling week for the football club, it felt like a true vindication to see Everton travel to West Ham United and put in a truly impressive performance to win, capped off by the staunch defence of journalist Martin Samuel on that matter just beforehand.

Writing for The Times, he suggested that the club were being made an example of, noting: ‘The desire to crush Everton is no doubt related to the looming government regulator and wanting to show politicians that the league can be trusted with self-regulation.’

He would then reference back to that proposed breakaway league, claiming: ‘It would be those six clubs again, who combined in a betrayal so heinous it suggested football required external control, handing the game to the politicians.

‘Yet they got away with it. Compared with Everton, if the Premier League has its way, at least. There was no relegation for Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester City. There should have been, if we’re talking justice.’

Are Everton in breach of FFP?

Whilst the £430m losses they have posted across the last four years might staunchly suggest that Everton are in breach of Financial Fair Play, the club remains adamant that they have done no wrong.

After all, their financial issues have been well-documented, and their compliance alongside the Premier League is likely integral in their case against them.

They claim, in the initial report that outlined this touted punishment, that they plan to ‘robustly defend’ their position, seeking to attribute these huge losses to COVID.

However, nobody can predict which side the independent regulator will favour, with things looking incredibly bleak for the club which had just lost their chairman earlier in the week.

Whilst a win has buoyed the atmosphere on Merseyside, there remains a looming grey cloud that will not cease until they know their fate, with no amount of defence in the media to change the outcome.