Kieran Maguire has suggested the Premier League could open a new “can of worms” regarding Everton’s first PSR charge.
The Toffees were handed a fresh two-point deduction on Monday. The outcome means Sean Dyche’s side have now dropped below Brentford into 16th place on 27 points and two points above 18th-placed Luton Town.
It’s believed Everton breached their allowed spending of £105million by £16.6million. The Premier League pushed for a five-point deduction, but mitigating factors saw the commission reduce the punishment to two.
Everton have confirmed their intention to start an appeals process, which brings an unprecedented situation into play.
Kieran Maguire says ‘frightening’ scenario could now emerge for Everton
Nottingham Forest and Everton are now both looking to appeal their 2024 charges – which could wreak havoc for the Premier League.
Any appeal needs to be ratified by the AGM. The next meeting is scheduled for just days after the end of the 2023/24 season. This means there is the potential for league positions to be decided after the last ball has been kicked.
A scenario Maguire is concerned about.
“The reduction in points from five to two is fair because Everton have already been punished for breaking the rules in 2021 and 2022 with respect to the first deduction,” he told BBC 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.
“I don’t think the club are being treated harshly there, and I don’t think opposing clubs have been treated harshly.
“There’s a separate issue about why has it taken the Premier League so long to charge Everton with regards to the first set of offences. Why wasn’t that held in the previous season (2022-23)? But that opens up a further can of worms.
“The frightening thought is that we could reach the end of the season and we still don’t know who’s relegated.
“The Premier League wanted 10 points deducted from Everton the first time round, eight points from Forest and five points from Everton the second time round, and you look at that and there is no consistency.”
The Premier League made a mockery of Everton last week
Last week, before Everton’s second punishment was thrashed out, there were reports [Daily Mail] of Premier League clubs looking to scrap PSR and replace the system with a new ‘luxury tax’. Fines would instead be handed out instead of points deductions.
The news makes a complete mockery of what has happened to Everton and Nottingham Forest this season. Essentially, England’s elite don’t like what they’ve seen this season and want to avoid it at all costs.
Everton have been used as a test dummy this season. It’s clear rules are being made up as they go along. And with both clubs looking to appeal, this saga is far from reaching its conclusion.