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Everton drop to 19th after 10 point deduction
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Exchange bettors back them for drop
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Everton shortened to 3.55 in the Betfair Exchange Premier League relegation market after they were deducted 10 points for breaking profit and sustainability rules.
The club will appeal, which may be one reason why their relegation odds have not plummeted further (although they did touch 3.3512/5 in the immediate aftermath of the news), but the Premier League's decision means they are currently 19th in the table on four points.
Sheffield United 1.241/4, Luton 1.261/4 and Burnley 1.738/11 are the favourite trio on the Exchange to go down in 2023/24.
But Everton's punishment is an extraordinary development and enormous blow to them.
Why have Everton been deducted 10 points?
Premier League clubs are allowed to lose £105m over a three-year period. However, after a five-day hearing in October, the commission looking into Everton's financial affairs found that the club's losses during that period amounted to £124.5m.
Everton said they were "shocked and disappointed" and called the ruling "wholly disproportionate and unjust". They will, as stated, appeal.
Will Everton be relegated in 2023/24?
Everton have been in the English top flight for almost 70 seasons - a record bettered only by Arsenal.
For the past two seasons, however, Everton have been in the Premier League relegation battle. In 2022/23 they were 45 minutes from going down.
They started this season poorly under Sean Dyche but have improved recently and climbed to 14th in the table with three wins in their last five matches (L1D1).
Their next match is at home to Manchester United on Sunday 26 November and it will be fascinating to see if Dyche's team can use the deduction as a reason to get fired up.
The Premier League has never seen a deduction like this before and, if upheld, it will make the Toffees' battle to continue their long stay in the top flight much more difficult.
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