A report in the ‘Liverpool World’ this morning suggests that any punishment Everton may face for (allegedly) violating financial fair play regulations is unlikely to be enforced until the next season. The authorities in charge of football are hesitant to expedite the proceedings, as they prefer to meticulously handle the necessary paperwork, ensuring all details are accounted for while reveling in their own sense of importance.
The Toffees have been accused of excessive spending due to their reported losses of £371.8 million over the past three years, which surpasses the Premier League’s permitted limit of £105 million by more than threefold. Everton strongly deny any misconduct and plan to defend their stance, potentially leading to a protracted court case.
Taking a glance at the bookmakers’ odds, we can assess which team is likely to join Southampton in the Championship next season. Leicester City, currently in 19th place, are now the clear favorites with odds of 1/8. Following closely behind are Leeds at 2/5, slightly shorter than their odds a week ago (8/15).
Given that there are only two games remaining, it’s unsurprising to see the teams currently occupying the relegation positions having the shortest odds. However, the odds of 1/8 for Dean Smith’s team seem somewhat harsh considering they are just one point below Leeds.
The next team in line is Nottingham Forest at 5/2, with Everton following closely at 10/3. Although Forest is two points ahead of Everton and three points ahead of Leeds, their slightly longer odds are due to their challenging fixture list. Forest is not expected to fare well against Arsenal in their upcoming match, whereas Everton is seen as slight favorites in their game at Molineux.
Source: Motforum