Reds can’t read too much into Toffees’ appeal

NOTTINGHAM Forest cannot read too much into Everton’s appeal after the Toffees saw their Premier League points deduction cut from 10 to six.

Dave Powell, chief business of football writer for Reach, believes Everton will consider the reduction to be ‘something of a win’ after two of the nine grounds in their appeal against the sanction were upheld. It is a decision that lifts the Toffees above Forest in the table, leaving the Reds only one place and four points above the drop zone.

However, Everton have another date with an independent commission where a second charge for the 2022-23 season will be heard – while Forest have also been charged with breaching financial regulations, albeit the scale of their breach is not known.

It has been reported that hearing will take place in early March and with no previous precedent on which to draw, it would be tempting to look at Everton’s first case – and appeal – as an indicator of what might happen.

Powell thinks it may not be too instructive but said Forest could feel ‘emboldened’, noting: “Having been hit with a rather draconian 10-point penalty for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations, reducing the punishment to six points following appeal represents something of a win for Everton.

“The reduction in severity will also be of significant interest to other clubs, notably Nottingham Forest, charged with a PSR breach for 2022-23, as well as clubs who are skirting the PSR regulations at present and who may have been concerned about just how strong a punishment they would have faced.

“It is hard to read too much into the six-point deduction and what happens with the PSR breach for which Everton were charged with for 2022-23, with the club facing another independent commission hearing.

“Nottingham Forest club chiefs, also, cannot read too much into the decision as a pre-cursor as to their own fate. The cases don’t have uniform punishments, hence the reason why the rather arbitrary 10-point deduction was so fiercely contested.

“Lessons will have been learned from both sides, and in Everton proving successful in overturning the panel’s original decision that the club did not act in utmost good faith, it is likely that a fairer hand is applied to the next independent commission hearing.

“Everton were the test case for the Premier League, and in reducing the punishment to six points it is a considerable climb down from their original position, and one that will likely embolden Forest in their own representations to the independent commission. They will have more evidence, more examples to fall back on in their defence.

“For Everton it is a decision which boosts their chances of remaining in the Premier League, which is critical for the Toffees’ financial security.”