Into the bottom three without playing a game – it’s a sticky situation for Everton

Everton have been docked a full 10 (TEN!) points for contravening financial fair play regulations. That’s a Premier League record (just not one to boast about) and the first time since Portsmouth were deducted nine in 2010 that any club have been docked points at all. Having been referred to an independent commission in March for alleged breaches during the 2021-22 season, the commission upheld the charges and deducted 10 points off the Toffees’ total, dropping them from 14 points to four. Oh, Everton!

That now places them 19th in the table, only Burnley behind them on goal difference. Sean Dyche’s team have won three matches from their last five in the Premier League and will need to continue that form to pull away from the relegation zone. Last year Burnley and Leeds wrote to the Premier League to question whether Everton had broken the rules after they recorded losses of £371.8m over the last three years. Clubs are allowed to lose a maximum of £105m over three years.

“The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings,” roared an Everton club statement. “Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted. The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.”

As sure as there is night after day an appeal is expected, and so too might be similarly heavy penalties for other clubs found to have broken the rules. The only good news for Everton is the presence of Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United in the Premier League this season.

Join Scott Murray for red-hot minute-by-minute updates on England 3-0 Malta in their meaningless Euro 2024 qualifier.

“All we’ve got to do is galvanise the players, the manager and the fans into one, which will be a good thing for them. They must appeal because that’s what everyone does. It will go on until after Christmas, which will just push it further down the road. If I was them now I would go ‘fair enough, let’s take it now and let’s finish with it’. They’re playing well, they’re doing OK, so there’s no reason why they can’t. The Premier League isn’t a great league from the bottom half down so they’ve got half a chance of winning that half of the league. It sounds harsh and it sounds horrendous, but if you broke the rules you broke the rules and you’ve got to suck it up and say ‘fair enough” – Neville Southall, as ever, with a reasoned take on his old club’s plight.

So Everton are penalised 10 points for financial irregularities which helped them avoid relegation years ago. But in the year it is implemented it might see them drop from 12th to 15th. Surely penalties should be meaningful if they are to be effective. Better still, let’s hope that the new regulator will be able to step in and avoid clubs getting into such situations in the first place by evening up the financial playing field and examining accounts in real time. Points deductions are unfair on fans and players who are largely blameless. But whilst they are all we have, they should make a real difference commensurate to the harm caused” – Alex Folkes.

Maurico Pochettino and Pep Guardiola can start taking notes from Everton’s news briefing. Manchester United and Liverpool can start making space in their trophy cabinets” – Krishna Moorthy.

Re: inappropriately -named teams (yesterday’s letters): given the continued chaotic discord in the Theatre of Screams …..surely Manchester United?” – Maurice Hope (and 1,056 others).

Further to Thursday’s conversation with Marc Guehi (yesterday’s Quote of the Day). Maldini might have been right about tackles, but he takes the pleasure out of the game. What could be more satisfying than sliding on your @rse on a soaking wet pitch, locking your foot round the ball and seeing the winger taking off and doing a face plant 20 feet further down the line. Those were the days” – Keith Storey.

Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Keith Storey, who gets a copy of United with Dad by Simon Lloyd, published by Pitch Publishing. Visit their brilliant football book store here. We have more prizes next week!

A fan who mocked mascot Bradley Lowery during a match between Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday has been given a suspended sentence by a judge who said his actions were “utterly appalling” and “disgraceful”.

A teary-eyed Luis Díaz scored both goals in a 2-1 win for Colombia against Brazil as his father – who was recently taken hostage – watched on. “We have always lived tough moments but life makes you strong and brave,” soothed Díaz Jr.

Revealed: Roman Abramovich, the super-Mr 20% and the footballers owned as “commodities”.

Scott McTominay is unlikely to be leaving on any midnight trains to Georgia, having laid into their national team after Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Georgia. “Rolling around crying like babies all the time is not football,” hissed McTominay. “They were provoking the referee a lot.”

Emma Hayes’ complaints that her Chelsea team were robbed in Women’s Big Cup by a lack of VAR fell on deaf ears. “The implementation of VAR in European competitions involves significant technical, operational, and logistical challenges,” simpered a Uefa statement. Translation: it costs, and there aren’t enough refs to run it, either.

Mikel Arteta’s behaviour towards officials as Arsenal lost at Newcastle, including labelling a crucial VAR decision an “absolute disgrace” has led to an FA charge. “His comments constitute misconduct as they are insulting towards match officials,” according to a statement that seemingly unheeds the Arsenal club statement that backed their man in his quest to get suits to “address the standard of officiating”.

Euro 2024 news: Hungary claimed their place in the finals after drawing with Bulgaria behind closed doors in Sofia. Sweden, who can’t qualify, were meanwhile gubbed 3-0 in Azerbaijan. Barcelona’s 16-year-old star Lamine Yamal scored as Spain edged closer after winning 3-1 in Cyprus.

Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay beat his own country of Argentina in World Cup qualifying and the absolute Leeds legend won the praise of Lionel Messi himself. After a first defeat in 25 matches for the world champs, Messi, 78, puffed and panted: “They have physical and fast players in the midfield. We never feel comfortable.”

Australia’s Socceroos will donate part of the match fee from facing Palestine to help the humanitarian efforts in Gaza. The World Cup qualifier between the two nations has been moved from the West Bank to Kuwait City.

And Erling Haaland is a minor doubt for Manchester City v Liverpool after suffering ankle-knack for Norway against Faroe Islands. “[It’s] a little bit vulnerable,” blabbed a team doctor.

Ten things to look out for in the Premier League this weekend.

Gareth Southgate is planning ahead to his 100th match in charge of England, and it will be the quarter-finals of the Euros. But next stop, Malta, where it all started.

Venezia, the Italian football club that its USA USA USA-based owners want to make into a global fashion brand. Oh, and to be good at football, too. They’re in Serie B at the moment, as Nicky Bandini explains.

Remember when Spain beat Malta 12-1 to qualify for Euro 84 on goals scored? The Dutch do, and so does Steven Pye.

Here lies gold – from the archive: the forgotten story of … 17 November 1993.

Roman Abramovich, the super Mr 20% and the footballs owned as commodities. More from Big Paper proper journalists Rob Davies and Simon Lock.

And an explainer of the breaches Chelsea are accused of during the Abramovich era.

In the interests of balance and bringing a bit of cheer for gloomy Everton fans, here’s a picture of the Toffees winning the 1985 First Division title. A 2-0 win over QPR at Goodison Park secured an eighth league trophy and ensured they finished a whopping 13 points above second-placed Liverpool.