Everton have lodged a formal appeal against a two-point penalty imposed on the club for breaching Premier League financial regulations, reports said on Monday.
The club admitted breaching profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) for permitted losses by £16.6 million ($20.7 million) for the assessment period ending with the 2022/23 season.
The punishment followed a previous six-point penalty imposed for the three-year period to 2021/22, reduced from 10 on appeal.
PSR permit clubs to lose £105 million over a rolling three-year period.
Everton, who have been ever present in the English top flight since the 1954/55 season, are 16th in the Premier League, just two points above the relegation zone with seven games to play, after losing eight points in total.
The Goodison Park club have blamed the indefinite suspension of sponsorship deals with key commercial partners as mitigation for the increased loss.
Under-fire majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri said in March he remains confident the protracted takeover of the club by 777 Partners will be completed soon, with Everton aiming to move to a brand new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for the start of the 2025/26 season.
Nottingham Forest, just above the drop zone, last month lodged an appeal against a four-point deduction.
Everton are in action at mid-table Chelsea later on Monday. A win will help them pull further away from the bottom
AFP