Everton make thinly-veiled comment in furious 202-word statement amid Man City charges

Everton's club statement following the announcement of their 10-point deduction by the Premier League appears to aim a thinly-veiled comment over the case involving Manchester City.

City were charged by the Premier League in February 2023 over 115 alleged instances of rule breaches, most of which relate to the club's finances.

An outcome to the case has not yet been reached, and it is expected to take a significant amount of time to reach a verdict.

After a similarly long investigation into alleged FFP rule violations in relation to Everton, an independent Premier League commission has deducted the Toffees 10 points.

The deduction puts them into the relegation zone. Sean Dyche's side are 19th on four points, and level with 20th-placed Burnley - although they are only two points away from Premier League safety.

After the Premier League released its own statement outlining the reasons behind the punishment, Everton released a punchy statement of their own in response.

Along stating that they are 'shocked and disappointed' by the ruling, they also described the punishment as 'a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction'.

The Toffees have confirmed their intention to appeal, and add that 'the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the Commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted'.

But it is the last line of the statement which appears to aim a thinly-veiled comment over the Premier League's future handling of the City case.

"The Club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules."

That was followed by a video statement - which you can watch above - from the club's interim chief executive officer, Colin Chong, who said: "The club, our players and staff, and our fans, will stick together in the face of what the Club believes to be an unprecedented and disproportionate sanction.

"Rest assured, we will be standing up for Evertonians and our great club."