Everton have been hit with a fresh points deduction by the Premier League following a second breach of their Profit and Sustainability Rules.
The Toffees were previously hit with a six-point deduction earlier in the season.
But the Premier League has now docked another two, with Everton falling to 16th in the table as a result.
It comes after the Toffees posted a £89.1m loss for the 2022-23 season, which was their sixth successive year of recording losses.
Everton have been docked two more points by the Premier League
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Everton have now dropped to 16th in the table, just four points above 18-placed Luton Town in the relegation zone.
The club have, however, released a statement saying they plan on appealing the Premier League's verdict.
"In January 2024, Everton were charged by the Premier League for breaching the permitted Profit and Sustainability thresholds for the assessment period ending 2022/23," they said.
"The matter was referred to a Premier League Commission, which has today announced Everton will receive an immediate two-point deduction.
"While the Club’s position has been that no further sanction was appropriate, the Club is pleased to see that the Commission has given credit to the majority of the issues raised by the Club, including the concept of double punishment, the significant mitigating circumstances facing the Club due to the war in Ukraine, and the high level of co-operation and early admission of the Club’s breach.
"Everton remains committed to working collaboratively with the League on all matters relating to PSR but is extremely concerned by the inconsistency of different commissions in respect of points deductions applied.
"The Club would like to place on record its thanks to the Fan Advisory Board and other fan groups for their submissions during this process, and to all Evertonians for their ongoing patience and unstinting support.
"The Club and its legal representatives have begun the preparations to appeal the Commission’s decision.
"No further comment will be made at this time."
Everton fans have also taken to social media to bemoan the latest points deduction.
"Should have all 8 of them back," said one user.
A second said: "Making it up as they go along."
A third said: "The fans have been let down badly by the premier league and the ex and current Everton board."
A fourth stated: "Get safe & then drag this out as long as possible. The Premier League is a joke."
And a fifth took aim at Manchester City and their alleged breach of 115 rules by saying: "I once again ask about 115 charges FC."
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Everton boss Sean Dyche now has a fresh problem after the Premier League docked two more points from the Toffees
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Speaking over the weekend, meanwhile, Sean Dyche condemned the mismanagement that has led to the current situation.
The Everton boss took aim at the financial mess of the club, while also insisting the club were paying a heavy price for mistakes made by his superiors.
“I would say there has been a step forward from where it was over the last two seasons," he said.
"Even with this tough run, if we were on 32 points I think most people would say that is actually a decent shift forward.
"You take the points away and it looks different and everyone seems to forget that.
Sean Dyche has said Everton's current financial situation 'wouldn't happen under my watch' as Toffees docked two more points
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"It [the breach] wasn’t on my watch unfortunately. It wouldn’t have happened on my watch, trust me, because I would have been saying: ‘No, no, no, no’.
"The health of the club is important to me. Having played my part in building one [at Burnley] I wouldn’t be throwing the club under the bus by saying: ‘I am the manager, I need £250m’. I would be going: ‘No, how can that work for this club? We cannot afford it.’
“I am a custodian and I need to look after the club as best as I can.
"I will be judged on whether I win or lose but I know that the whole club is in a healthier position than when I got here.
"Being honest, if someone wants to give me £200m I will have a go at spending it. But if it is £200m at the cost of the club I will go: ‘No, you can’t do that’, because that is going to hurt in the long run more than it helps.”
