The Premier League handed Everton a second points deduction on Monday but fans have been left confused over Manchester City’s lack of punishment.
City are locked in a tense title race with Arsenal and Liverpool but there is a cloud hanging over them with 115 alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
Premier League sides Everton and Nottingham Forest have both been docked points for breaking profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) this season.
Clubs in England’s top-flight previously voted to fast-track independent commissions for teams accused of overspending.
That was to ensure any potential punishment would be as close as possible to any breach, hence why Everton and Forest have already been punished.
But the Premier League say the City case is different – according to The Telegraph – because of the depth, scale and complexity of the 115 charges against them.
Everton had just one charge against them when they were first hit with a 10-point deduction – which eventually dropped to six – explaining why the Premier League was able to deal with their case so quickly in comparison to City.
Why were Man City charged?
Manchester City were charged with breaking financial rules over a nine-year period from 2009 to 2018. They allegedly didn’t provide accurate financial information and the Premier League referred the case to an independent commission. Man City have always strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Logistically, the City case is a lot more time-consuming and it will take far longer to reach a punishment verdict, the Premier League have argued.
Everton are unhappy with their explanation and believe they opened themselves up to a speedier punishment by cooperating with the Premier League.
Jamie Carragher suggested back in October that City could find themselves relegated all the way down to the National League North when they are eventually punished.
Everton boss Sean Dyche, meanwhile, a defender in the youth ranks at fellow punished club Forest in his playing days, addressed the issue in February.
‘Just like everyone else, we are all wondering what makes one rule for one and one rule for the other,’ he said. ‘I think that’s the only thing.
‘I don’t know the ins and outs for every reason, but I think we are all asking that. The people in the street are asking: ‘Why is it particularly Everton?’
‘I don’t know what the exact number is, but they reference over 100 charges for City. I don’t know the implications of that either. I don’t know the details of the charges but you go: ‘Well, we have one.’
‘You just go with common sense, I’m not talking about the rules. I’m not questioning Man City or whether they’ve done stuff or not done stuff.
‘The point is it is certainly a long time. That story has been going round for a while now about all these charges.
‘I think you’ll agree that it is not just from Evertonians. I know football people. I live in Nottingham, I know Forest fans, and when I’m travelling around I stop at services and there’s always football fans and they go: ‘What’s that all about?’
‘Not just Evertonians but people are going: ‘Where does that come from?’ If they’re asking it, they’re usually saying the same thing which is, ‘How come it is you then and not so and so?’
‘So everyone is a bit like, ‘Come on then, where is it going?’ – if you’re going to do it with them then you have to start doing it with everyone and you’re going to have to fast track everything because it is relevant now. We will see.’
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