Everton

We asked how you were feeling after learning the outcome of Everton's appeal. We wanted to know whether you feel the four returned points were fair, and if it will be enough to keep the Toffees out of relegation danger.

Here is a snapshot of your submissions:

Blue: The points deduction and subsequent points back has been a farce from start to finish. OK, we have moved into a better place but I fear this current Everton team may struggle to stay there. The Premier League haven't covered themselves in glory doing this and I think football is the loser here.

Brian: I take no joy from this result. Don't forget, we probably have a further sanction to come out of the second charge. It does highlight the lack of any clarity or fairness in the process to this point.

Martyn: Pleased to see some of the points back but I still can't help feeling anger and frustration at the whole process, considering the findings clearly stated 'Everton received no sporting advantage'. I do not think taking points off any club is the correct punishment - it just hurts the fans, not owners. Transfer embargoes should be the punishment.

Nick: The punishment, although more realistic now, is still quite harsh but it will now be interesting to see how other clubs, who have also broken the rules, are punished - especially those who have many more allegations against them. Hopefully the team can now push on in the knowledge that we're now clear of the bottom three.

Mac: I'm not happy with the outcome. We wanted the full 10 points back! We would be having a completely different season without the points deduction. We could be pushing for Europe. I don't see how Manchester City and Chelsea can just keep breaching and nothing happens, but as soon as Everton mess up once we get severely punished! It's a joke!

Andy: I think we need to take the points and be happy. There's too much negativity going around and we are in a slump. We should try and use this, and Saturday's performance, as a springboard back into some good form.

Everton's punishment for breaching Premier League financial rules has been reduced from 10 points to six after an appeal.

What's your take on the verdict?

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Liverpool City Region's mayor Steve Rotheram has released a statement reacting to the news that Everton have had four points returned following an appeal against their original 10-point deduction for breaching financial rules.

The ruling means Everton are now 15th in the Premier League table, five points above the relegation zone.

Rotheram wrote on X:, external "The outcome of Everton's appeal vindicates what I and many others have been saying from the outset - that the panel's original sanction was patently unfair."

He added that the Premier League's "culture of secrecy has done nothing to foster confidence or trust" and called on the league to "publish the formula it intends to use when calculating penalties for similar breaches moving forward".

Rotheram said this is "an urgent issue given the two outstanding cases to be dealt with this season".

Meanwhile, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP has also tweeted her response to the ruling.

In January, she chaired a Department of Culture, Media and Sport committee hearing at which Premier League chief executive Richard Masters answered questions about - among other topics - the charges brought against Everton and Nottingham Forest for breaching profitability and sustainability rules.

She posted on X: "While some Everton fans will no doubt still be disappointed, it's welcome the appeals process has allowed the decision and especially the sanction to be reconsidered. Everton's outstanding case must now be considered ASAP to give the club and fans certainty for the future."

Image source, Getty Images

Everton fan and podcaster Peter MacFarlane has been reacting to Everton's successful appeal on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Well, we certainly find ourselves in a better position than we were in a couple of hours ago, so that's one massive bonus for us. I think the overall feeling right now is one of vindication, certainly from the supporters.

"We believed from the outset that the 10-point punishment was extremely harsh, especially given some of the comparative punishments that are listed in the Premier League guidelines with regards to administration, for example, which is minus nine points.

"So, to get some of those points back, it feels like a massive vindication for the fans and for the club."

On whether there is any anger from the Toffees towards the way the club had been run to into this situation in the first place, MacFarlane added: "I think we, as Evertonians, made our feelings quite clear towards what we thought about the running of the club, even before any of this kicked off.

"We were protesting against the running of the club. We protested against the board and against how the club was run. We could see that the club was going in the wrong direction. This whole process has proven we were right to question the running of the club.

"One of the biggest issues that we had, as a fanbase, was during the time that we were protesting against the club, we felt that we weren't backed by anyone. For us to then get hit with a 10-point deduction, it felt that we were the ones being punished rather than the people who had actually caused the issues in the first place.

"But, as a supporter, it's just important for us to get behind the players from now until the end of the season. We've obviously got the second charge hanging over us as well, but we'll have to see how that goes. It certainly gives us a boost. It's such a psychological boost as well just to see us pull away from that bottom three. Hopefully now we can push on and start climbing the table."

Everton's appeal against the immediate 10-point deduction they received in November has been successful and has been reduced to six points.

As a result, Sean Dyche's side move from 17th to 15th, equal on points with Brentford but with a better goal difference of -6.

How are you feeling Toffees fans?

Do you think this is a fair outcome of the appeal?

And are the four returned points enough to put relegation worries to bed?

Let us know your thoughts here

Things are looking up for Everton after they were handed four of the ten points they were deducted for breaching Premier League financial rules back on appeal.

When the sanction was imposed back in November, the Toffees were 14th - eight points above the relegation zone.

Following the latest update, they are back up to 15th - five points above Luton Town in 18th - and have an element of breathing space that Sean Dyche and his team will not have experienced for months.

The charge surrounding the accounting period for June 2023 is yet to be resolved but, for now, Everton have received a huge boost in their quest for survival.

Image source, Reuters

Everton have released a statement saying they are "satisfied" with the reduction in their punishment for breaching financial rules, and "remain fully committed to cooperating with the Premier League" regarding a subsequent charge that was brought against them in January.

The club said: "While the club is still digesting the Appeal Board's decision, we are satisfied our appeal has resulted in a reduction in the points sanction.

"We understand the Appeal Board considered the 10-point deduction originally imposed to be inappropriate when assessed against the available benchmarks of which the club made the Commission aware, including the position under the relevant English Football League regulations, and the nine-point deduction that is imposed under the Premier League’s own rules in the event of insolvency.

"The club is also particularly pleased with the Appeal Board's decision to overturn the original Commission's finding that the club failed to act in utmost good faith. That decision, along with reducing the points deduction, was an incredibly important point of principle for the club on appeal. The club, therefore, feels vindicated in pursuing its appeal."

Everton's statement added: "Notwithstanding the Appeal Board's decision, and the positive outcome, the club remains fully committed to cooperating with the Premier League in respect of the ongoing proceedings brought for the accounting period ending in June 2023.

"The club is still considering the wider implications of the decision and will make no further comment at this time, other than to place on record its thanks to our Fan Advisory Board and other fan groups throughout this process, and to all Evertonians for their ongoing support and patience."

Image source, PA Media

Everton's punishment for breaching financial rules has been reduced from a 10-point deduction to six, following an appeal by the club.

The Toffees were initially deducted 10 points in November for breaching the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules for the period ending season 2021-22.

The decision means Everton move up two places from 17th to 15th in the table, above Brentford on goal difference.

A Premier League statement, external said: "Everton FC appealed the sanction imposed against it on nine grounds, each of which related to the sanction rather than the fact of the breach, which the club admitted.

"Two of those nine grounds were upheld by the Appeal Board, which has substituted the original points deduction of 10 for six.

"This revised sanction has immediate effect and the Premier League table will be updated today to reflect this."

The outcome of Everton's appeal mean Sean Dyche's side now have 25 points, moving them up to 15th in the table and putting them five points above the relegation zone.

We asked you for your thoughts on Saturday's Premier League match between Brighton and Everton.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Bill: At the end of the season it will be interesting to see how many points we gained from clubs in the top half of the table and how many from clubs in the bottom half.

Mick: Given the history, it was always going to be a difficult game. Always on top but unable to penetrate the massed defence. We faded as the game wore on and conceded a well taken goal. We did show more energy after the three substitutions but that was made more difficult after the Billy Gilmour dismissal. Fully deserved equaliser from Dunk who was brilliant throughout. We missed Kaoru Mitoma.

Ashley: We really found it tough to break through Everton's defence but take a point and we move on to the cup game against Wolves. Tariq Lamptey was my man of the match and yet again skipper Dunk saved us.

Guy: Brighton played well. Lots of good link-up play but we just lacked the cutting edge until Dunky powered his later header into the top corner. A well deserved point.

Everton fans

Richard: Good defensive display again, it seems it is the only way we can play. The fourth best defence in the league but fourth from bottom - it doesn’t make sense. Oh yeah! The 10-point deduction! Give us fans our points back. It’s football, not politics.

Chis: 1-0 up against 10 men and we sat back instead of going for the kill. Typical Dyche football and got what we deserved! The loss of those two points could be vital at the end of the season.

Mark: We really need to be earning more than draws. We are difficult to beat but struggling to score enough goals to win. Goals need to become more prevalent soon.

Russ: Negative Dyche against 10 men. He does the opposite of what is needed every time.

Image source, Getty Images

The Telegraph's Luke Edwards believes Everton are going "to have to scrap and fight for every point" after a late Brighton equaliser denied them a vital away win on Saturday.

"There's been a bit of that with Everton, conceding late goals," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"There's been a lot of nearly performances. They are in trouble. They had a great December, we all thought Sean Dyche had cracked it, got them really galvanised. The whole club banded together against the whole burning sense of injustice.

"Now they're in trouble and he's limited in what he can do with the players he's got.

"They are going to have to scrap and fight for every single point. That would have been a huge win for them and they're just not getting those wins.

"There's that danger where you start thinking 'oh we're Everton, we've made it out before, we'll get a win from somewhere'.

"That's a really insidious thought process that can creep in - 'oh we'll be OK, we got an away point today that's OK, we'll get a win at home'.

"Nine games without a win."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

English midfielder Jack Harrison wants to turn his loan move from Leeds United to Everton into a permanent deal in the summer, even if the Elland Road side are promoted back to the Premier League. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League matches.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

Manchester United v Fulham

Bournemouth v Manchester City

Michael Beardmore
BBC Sport journalist

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Could Everton draw their way to safety?

It's quite conceivable, especially, of course, if the result of their appeal against a 10-point deduction goes in the Toffees' favour.

Lewis Dunk's stoppage-time equaliser for 10-man Brighton might have extended Everton's winless Premier League run to nine games - but they have, at least, picked up five draws during that sequence.

No one below them is pulling up trees, apart from perhaps Luton and even their resurgence seems to have cooled off. Nonetheless, this was a huge opportunity missed to end that winless run, especially after Billy Gilmour's red card.

One thing is for sure, though, if Everton are to avoid the necessity for another final-day relegation battle, they need their attackers to start firing.

Defenders - like Jarrad Branthwaite at the Amex - and midfielders are popping up with key goals but Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Beto et al simply have to start contributing more.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton boss Sean Dyche to BBC Match of the Day after his side were denied victory by Brighton's stoppage-time equaliser at the Amex:

"We got in at half-time in pretty good shape, I was pretty pleased with the performance and then second half was a really good away performance, never giving up too much, looking a threat and then we scored the goal.

"But inevitably they get nine minutes [stoppage time] and everyone is wondering where that came from and the crowd get a lift and they have freedom to throw things forward. If anything, we should have kept the ball better and the final moment, you’ve always got to stop a cross.

"Beto has a chance to seal the game late on, I don’t know whether he stumbles but he doesn’t strike it cleanly - these are the defining moments and we haven’t quite found them over the past run of games, yet the performances have been very good and strong which I thought a lot of the game today was.

"It’s an easy thing to say, why aren’t your strikers scoring, why don’t you make them score? If it was that easy we’d all have strikers who are scoring 25 a season wouldn’t we?"

Image source, Getty Images

Everton goal-scorer Jarred Branthwaite, speaking to BBC Sport: "We put in a solid performance. We went 1-0 up and then they went down to 10 men. Then we sat back and invited pressure - them scoring at the end is frustrating.

"They are a good team, with 10 men they could keep the ball. We pressed all game, then they went down to 10 men and we stopped pressing - I don't know what happened."

• Brighton are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League home games (W5 D6), only losing once in their last 15 at the American Express Stadium (W7 D7) despite keeping just one clean sheet in that time (0-0 against Wolves in January).

• Everton are unbeaten in their last four Premier League away games against Brighton W2 D2), scoring eight goals and conceding just two.

• Lewis Dunk’s 95th minute goal for Brighton was the latest equaliser Everton have conceded in a Premier League away game since John Terry made it 3-3 in the 98th minute for Chelsea in January 2016.

• Brighton have both scored and conceded in 21 of their 26 Premier League games this season, more than any other side in the competition.

• Brighton’s Pascal Gross has either scored or assisted a goal in each of his last four Premier League games. The German created six chances today – only against Watford in February 2019 has he created more in a home game in the competition (10).

• Everton’s Jarrod Branthwaite has scored two goals in his last four Premier League games, one more than in all of his previous 29 matches in the competition combined (1).

Lewis Dunk's stoppage-time header condemned Everton to another Premier League draw as 10-man Brighton salvaged a point at Amex Stadium.

Both goals came from central defenders as Dunk headed home Pascal Gross' cross five minutes into time added on to cancel out Jarrad Branthwaite's superb opener.

Branthwaite had produced a forward's finish to break the deadlock, arrowing a first-time shot into the top corner from 15 yards when a free-kick fell at his feet.

It seemed Everton were on course for a vital victory in their battle to avoid relegation when Brighton's Billy Gilmour was then sent off for a studs-up lunge on Amadou Onana's ankle.

But Dunk's header extended the Toffees' winless league run to nine games and they sit just a point above the relegation zone, having played a match more than 18th-placed Luton.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from home?

Brighton fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Everton fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

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BBC pundit Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on former England striker Jermain Defoe.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

This was the game at the end of last season where Everton absolutely demolished Brighton. Sean Dyche's side were brilliant that night, and their win went a long way towards keeping them up.

Everton are badly in need of a repeat of that result this time, too. Although they have drawn three of their past four games, they haven't won in the Premier League since 16 December.

Brighton have been back in the goals recently after a spell at the start of the year where they could not score, but I am going to back Everton to nick this one.

They will have the same gameplan they used when they beat the Seagulls in May, which is to defend deep and counter-attack quickly. If it works again, they will win.

Jermain's prediction: 3-1

Read all of Sutton's predictions for this weekend's games