Everton must deal with the horrifying reality of losing 10 points as three direct inquiries surface.
Everton’s 10 point deduction for breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations has resulted in ongoing fallout.
An independent commission handed down the penalty following a disciplinary hearing that was held last month. Everton, who maintains that the punishment was a “wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction,” will formally file their appeal this week.
The Blues are currently second from the bottom in the Premier League table, but the appeal must be heard and resolved before the end of the season. The sole goal differential keeps Sean Dyche’s team ahead of Burnley.
I won’t go into too much detail about my feelings regarding the independent commission’s decision from last Friday, but I think it should be obvious that I agree with the nearly universal view that Everton has been treated unfairly and that the 10-point deduction from their score is hardly a fitting punishment for the offense.
It’s a difficult situation, and the truly horrifying truth of it all is that despite Sean Dyche’s tireless efforts and the victories the team has managed to string together recently, we have been thrown straight back into the relegation debate. One bright spot, though, is that in a way that seemed unthinkable the previous season, the club and fan base appear to have come together again as a result of this.
Since we are now all singing from the same hymn sheet, Sunday’s match against Manchester United is sure to have an electrifying atmosphere. Because in the middle of all of this, we now have a team to support that, despite only being eight points clear of the relegation zone last week, has been thrust back into it due to no fault of their own.
Erik ten Hag’s team won’t be looking forward to their Sunday afternoon trip to Merseyside, that much is certain. United already found themselves in the thick of a resolute Goodison Park drill, so to speak, when they played the Toffees in April 2022 while they were battling relegation and lost 1-0, courtesy of a deflected goal from Anthony Gordon.
This season, they have already had a number of shaky moments, but even when they are not playing well, they usually manage to finish the job. On Sunday, Everton needs to prevent that from happening. Fortunately, since Dyche took over, most elite teams have needed to play incredibly well in order to defeat Goodison.
On Sunday, the spectators will undoubtedly be licking their lips, but will the players be able to apply the same mentality on the field?
Paul McParlan: “We fall, but we get back up.”
Everton fans around the globe are still in shock over the severe penalty the independent commission handed down on Friday.
It was far more than anyone had expected. Although we were all aware that this day would come, the loss of 10 points appears to be an obvious example of the penalty not being appropriate for the offense.
And as a result of Farhad Moshiri’s excess, who believed he could spend money however he pleased without thinking about what it would mean financially for Everton, supporters are now made to suffer.
It is important to carefully consider the consequences of the penalty. Now, every game is deemed essential to win. The team and management will be under a great deal of strain because of the players’ constant pressure to perform better than they have in every game.
Everton’s meager resources will be put to the test like never before if they have to play the equivalent of 26 cup finals before the season ends. There will be choices to be made: will Everton give up on their goals in the FA Cup and League Cup in order to prioritize their safety in the Premier League during a busy stretch of Christmas fixtures? What would happen if an offer for Jordan Pickford or Jarrad Branthwaite was made that we couldn’t reject in January? In the worst situation, what if Sean Dyche decides he’s had enough?
The teams surrounding Everton have received a huge boost to their chances of surviving, which could potentially ignite their own campaigns. That home loss to Luton Town now appears to have cost them dearly.
Did we really think we would win any controversial VAR rulings now that the Premier League seems so keen to get rid of Everton? Not in my opinion.
But Everton still has control over their own destiny. The Blues need just two more points to be safe. Our home form will be more crucial than before. We have to get back to winning at Goodison.
Although Manchester United will be formidable rivals, they will have to contend with a raging pot of anger fueled by a vocal fan base full of resentment and injustice. This is the perfect opportunity to exact our vengeance on a team that dared to participate in the European Super League.
This is the beginning of the counterattack. On Sunday, three points would be a huge advantage. Additionally, it will boldly declare to the world that we are Evertonians and that you should really avoid messing with us!
Luke Davies: Goodison is going to be a boiling pot
We have to concentrate on the upcoming game after a challenging week for the toffees.
I concur with the majority of supporters that the punishment is excessively harsh, but we’ll have to wait and see what transpires.
The players need us more than ever, so it is our duty as supporters to support this team. There’s no doubt that Sunday’s game will have a boisterous atmosphere, and Manchester United isn’t exactly known for their ability to handle pressure (at least not in the recent past). There will be a clear siege mentality. I anticipate a performance from the team in response.
The manager will be just as excited to be in that stadium as I am. I wouldn’t change the lineup at Crystal Palace; there’s no need to upset a team that is winning.
The opposition has won four of their last five games, so they are playing better in the league than you might think. If you followed a number of media sources, you could easily convince yourself that United is having difficulty earning points, but they consistently win. Given that the visitors haven’t drawn a game this season, we should anticipate three points for either team.
United and Goodison have a history of dramatic matches; in 2010, Mikel Arteta’s shot deflected off Paul Scholes to secure a 3–3 draw. Of course, the 1995 FA Cup final and the 2009 FA Cup semi-final are memorable, even though I wasn’t around to witness them. I could go on forever.
