Jamie Carragher has insisted Everton's ten-point deduction is "excessive and not right", as he took aim at other Premier League clubs under investigation.
Everton's punishment for breaches of financial fair play rules was confirmed on Friday, dropping the Toffees from 14th in the table to 19th. They are above Burnley on goal difference only, after receiving the most severe sporting sanction in the League's history.
Everton have already declared they will appeal the “wholly disproportionate and unjust" decision, but for now Sean Dyche's side are set for another relegation battle.
Manchester City were charged with 115 breaches of financial regulations in February, covering the period between 2009 and 2018 in which the club won the Premier League three times. They have also been accused of failing to cooperate with the investigation too.
Chelsea are under scrutiny too, over potential financial rule breaches between 2012 and 2019.
Carragher has claimed Everton's sanction is too harsh, as he contrasted the Toffees' attitude towards the investigation with other clubs in the division.
"The 10 point deduction for Everton is excessive & not right, considering they have been working with the PL about this for the last couple of years," he tweeted.
"Would it have been better to be evasive & try & drag it out like other clubs?"
It remains to be seen whether there is a response from the likes of Leicester City, Leeds United and Burnley, who are among the clubs to have been pipped to Premier League survival by Everton over the past two seasons.
The 10 point deduction for Everton is excessive & not right, considering they have been working with the PL about this for the last couple of years.
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) November 17, 2023
Would it have been better to be evasive & try & drag it out like other clubs?
No doubt relegated clubs will have put big…
Previous reports have suggested those clubs could sue if there was a guilty verdict in Everton's case, and Carragher has suggested that an example is being made of the Toffees due to pressure on the Premier League.
Carragher continued: "No doubt relegated clubs will have put big pressure on the PL to deal with Everton, but when you consider 6 clubs tried to leave the PL & there was no sanction at all it doesn’t feel right. "Until other clubs are sanctioned Everton will feel they are being used to show there is no need for an independent regulator, and they are right."
