Everton have been treated unfairly by the Premier League in comparison to other clubs according to the results of the Echo’s points deduction survey.
The Blues were handed a 10-point deduction last Friday, the largest in the history of the division, after being found guilty of breaching the league’s financial rules. And in light of the decision, more than 1,000 Evertonians gave their views on the controversial sanctions.
Of the fans responding to our poll, 87 per cent believe that the club has been harshly treated, with 13 per cent thinking that it was a fair outcome.
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Other clubs in the division, notably Manchester City and Chelsea, have faced allegations of breaching financial rules. City face 115 charges but have not been sanctioned by the league - leaving many supporters questioning the severity of this punishment.
It was a similar outcome when it came to the league’s punishments in general, with 67 per cent of respondents believing that the league is wrong to be pursuing Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches so harshly, with just over 30 per cent thinking the current punishments for clubs are acceptable.
It appears that supporters are also in agreement when asked whether the club should be looking to appeal the decision, with 87 per cent saying that they should and just 13 per cent believing that they should accept the punishment.
The 10-point deduction handed to the club has also seen Sean Dyche’s side slip back into the relegation places in 19th, whereas they were previously nine points clear and actually closer to a European spot before the decision. Dyche’s men were also in a good run of form prior to the deduction, with the 3-2 victory away to Crystal Palace on November 11 making it four games unbeaten in all competitions.
No club has beaten the drop when having only four points at this stage of a Premier League campaign. Relegation is a significant possibility should an appeal not go the Blues' way.
Everton face the likes of Manchester United, Newcastle and Chelsea in their next five games following this most recent international break - but supporters are still feeling confident despite the change in league position. When asked if the Blues will be relegated at the end of the season, an overwhelming majority of 84 per cent said that they were confident of their side remaining in the top flight, with just 16 per cent saying otherwise.
Do you think Everton have been treated unfairly by the Premier League? Let us know in the comments section below.
