Everton’s recent plight has stemmed from numerous frustrations, both on and off the court.
Farhad Moshiri is the man largely blamed for steering the Toffees adrift, as it is his misguided leadership that has seen managers come and go, and players recklessly acquired.
As such, their financial frustrations have left them mightily hamstrung, the likes of which the Premier League has supposedly seldom seen before.
One thing the top flight certainly hadn’t seen before was a point deduction akin to the one administered in November, as the division sought to hammer down on the Toffees for their transgressions.
Many have since voiced their displeasure with the scale of the punishment rather than the guilty verdict itself, with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham one of the most vocal defenders.
A lifelong Evertonian, the 54-year-old has written letters and led charges against the Premier League relentlessly, and plans to do so again.
In fact, he has recently outlined his latest target regarding his Everton defence on X, writing: ‘Tomorrow the campaign against the unfair treatment of @everton by the @premierleague goes up a gear. The meeting will hear about a major development so is well worth attending. This is now not just Everton’s fight. It’s everyone’s.’
Could Everton receive a second points deduction?
Despite such vocal defence on Merseyside, seeking to achieve a successful appeal from the ten-point deduction, there have been reports of a fresh worry that Everton might have.
After all, Monday marks the time of the year when Premier League clubs’ accounts have been reviewed, and the verdicts distributed.
Given how vociferously their first punishment was received by the club and its unrelenting supporters, having protested in so many games with cards, banners, chants and even planes, another potential deduction would surely tip them over the edge.
Although Sean Dyche and his club maintain that they are wholly compliant with FFP, given they are one of just two sides in the Premier League to have actually made a profit in the last three transfer windows.
However, the last time they were punished it was a similar, albeit slightly different story.
Sales of RIcharlison and Anthony Gordon had helped them make great strides towards renewed sustainability, and yet they were still sanctioned in the harshest possible way.
It seems the unpredictability of the division, who have made themselves a sworn enemy of the Everton faithful, should think twice about potentially handing out another punishment to the Toffees, unless they have irrefutable proof of mass transgressions.
Otherwise, they may just be poking the bear yet again, who is certain to come back even more angry.
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