The Premier League and independent panel are ‘COLLUDING’ and ‘allowing damage to Everton to continue’, claims former Liverpool mayor in bizarre conspiracy theory – as wait for verdict on appeal drags on

Liverpool’s former mayor has sensationally claimed that Everton are the victims of a plot to ‘allow the damage to continue’ by the Premier League and the panel reviewing their points deduction. 

Joe Anderson claimed that the league and independent panel are ‘colluding’ and branded it ‘inconceivable’ that a verdict has not still been reached. 

A decision is expected this week over Everton’s appeal against a 10-point deduction they received in November for breaching Premier League spending rules. 

‘It is inconceivable that the three member panel reviewing the Premier League’s decision to deduct 10 points from Everton have not reached a conclusion,’ Anderson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

‘We can therefore conclude that they are colluding with the PL allowing the uncertainty and damage to continue,’ the lifelong Everton fan said, adding ‘#decisionnow.’

Anderson claimed that they are ‘allowing the uncertainty and damage to continue’ with the wait for a verdict on Everton’s 10-point deduction

Everton sit 17th in the Premier League and are level on points with Luton in the drop zone but would be 12th without the deduction. 

The Toffees were punished after being found to have exceeded permitted losses under the league’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) in the three seasons up to 2021-22. 

Everton posted staggering financial losses of almost £372million over a three-year period and were given the stiffest points sanction in Premier League history. 

Their loss is more than £250m above what the Premier League’s guidelines permit clubs to lose over a three-year rolling time frame. 

The club indicated immediately that they would challenge the penalty, slamming it as ‘wholly disproportionate’.

Current Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram has labelled the deduction as ‘ludicrous’ and wrote to the Premier League to express his ‘deep concern and opposition’ to it.  

Everton will have the option to take the matter to arbitration if they are unhappy with the outcome, which they may feel compelled to do given the strength of feeling amongst their fans.

Fans at Goodison Park once again jeered the fair play handshake in Everton’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Everton would be 12th without the 10-point deduction but are just above the relegation zone

The Toffees were punished for posting financial losses of almost £372million over a three-year period

Any challenge to the appeal would be heard by a single arbitrator rather than a three-person commission, with both parties having to agree on the identity of the arbitrator.

Premier League rules state that Everton must submit their intention to go to arbitration within two days of receiving the appeal verdict. The hearing would take place in a matter of days.

Clubs criticised the Premier League last season for failing to conclude disciplinary proceedings against Everton before the end of the campaign after they were charged in March.

The Premier League had sought to accelerate the process, but were blocked by the independent commission, who supported a submission from Everton which argued there was insufficient time to hear the case.

Everton were hit with a second charge of breaching PSR back on January 15.

Fans have vehemently protested the decision to punish Everton and the club called it ‘wholly disproportionate’

Everton will have the option to take the case to arbitration if they are unhappy with the result

The Toffees, alongside fellow Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest, have been referred to an independent commission which will consider the alleged offences. This second case will be heard by the end of March. 

It means that depending on the outcome, Everton could face further point deductions which would increase the probability of relegation this season.