Everton Withdraw Points Deduction Appeal

Everton have withdrawn their appeal against a two-point deduction for breaching Premier League financial rules.

The Toffees were docked two points after an independent commission found the club had breached profit and sustainability rules (PSR) by £16.6m for the three-year period to 2022-23.

The appeal was due to take place next week with a verdict announced before the final game of the season at Arsenal on 19 May.

The Toffees had a 10-point deduction reduced to six on appeal in February for PSR breaches in the three-year period to 2021-22.

Successive home wins over Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Brentford last month secured Everton’s Premier League safety.

In its written reasons for Everton’s most recent deduction, the independent commission said the Premier League’s starting point for any PSR sanction was a five-point deduction but conceded two should be taken off because of the overlap in the years that were assessed in the club’s two cases.

The commission decided that any breach of PSR justifies a three-point deduction, with an additional two points because Everton’s breach of £16.6m – 15.8% above the £105m threshold – was deemed significant.

However, the commission accepted Everton’s arguments for mitigation in relation to the fact the club had already been deducted points this season, suffered a loss of revenue because of the suspension of a sponsorship deal with Russian company USM and made an early admission of guilt. This led to the sanction being reduced to two points.