The Premier League relegation battle has been plunged into further uncertainty after Everton officially lodged their appeal against last week’s two-point deduction, with a verdict potentially not being published until five days after the final game of the season.
The Toffees were expected to appeal the decision handed down last week and are confident that, like when they reduced a 10-point deduction to six, they can tempt the independent commission to be more lenient against them.
Everton are two points clear of the relegation zone before Monday night’s match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but this current appeal has been given a latest date to be concluded by May 24, which is five days after their final match of the season at Arsenal.
It leaves them and Nottingham Forest, who are also going through an appeals process for financial breaches, set for an uncertain end to the season and gives rise to the possibility of relegation being determined after the final round of the campaign.
Clubs such as Luton, who are also in the relegation dog-fight, will be growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of certainty.
Everton have officially lodged an appeal against their latest points deduction for breaking the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules
Sean Dyche’s side will need to continue picking up points to ensure their top-flight survival
An already-tense Premier League relegation battle could drag on beyond the season with the deadline for a decision on Everton’s appeal not until May 24
Rob Edwards’ side are in the drop zone but will be privately hoping one of Everton or Forest can be dragged back in, obviously helped by points deductions.
Everton were docked two points last week for overspending the permitted amount by £16.6million, and the club slammed the inconsistency of Premier League sanctions in an official statement that added they were ‘extremely concerned’ about a lack of clarity.
The club will not release any further official statements on the crux of their latest argument with the League, but they will hope for a similar outcome to last time, when the first case was found to have legal errors.
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