David Moyes believes the saga around Everton’s points deduction has left Premier League owners “frightened” and warned the top-flight’s integrity will be at risk if the relegation battle is not settled until after the last day of the season.
Moyes takes his West Ham side to face his former club on Saturday afternoon, with the Toffees’ survival hopes boosted this week after their punishment for financial fair play breaches was reduced from 10 points to six.
An appeal panel found that the independent commission which imposed the original penalty “made legal errors” in their ruling.
While Moyes says that is in itself a significant cause for concern, the Hammers boss believes the threat of sanctions has already filtered into clubs’ transfer activity after a notably quiet January window.
"I think first and foremost it’s probably frightened all the owners about how much money we’re going to be able to spend and how we spend it,” said Moyes, whose only January signing was Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City. “Everybody’s got a bit frightened by it.
“What’s more disappointing is that a panel of some of the top QCs have probably sat and got [Everton’s initial punishment] wrong in some way. It’s a bit like if anybody goes to court, you’re hoping that the people in charge will do their job right.
“The first panel’s said it’s ten points, the second panel’s said no, there should be a reduction. I’m not an expert, I don’t know how they’ve got to the points but we shouldn’t be getting it wrong.
“It was the feeling right away when it came out that everybody thought this might change. That meant Everton must’ve had a good enough case to say why it’s unfair. You’d have thought the panel would have considered that when they were dealing with it.”
While Everton have accepted the reduced the sanction, both they and relegation rivals Nottingham Forest face the possibility of further sanctions over fresh charges launched in January.
Those cases must be heard by April 8, but with both clubs likely to appeal any punishment, the situation may not be resolved until late May, after the final day of the Premier League season.
West Ham are not involved in the relegation battle themselves, but the likes of Luton Town and Brentford also face uncertainty over what it will take to beat the drop and when asked whether the game risked being brought into disrepute, Moyes said: “I think it might.
“Clubs are making decisions on players, contracts. Maybe there are players who are kept if they stay up or let go. Other issues come into play. So those decisions need to be made.
“It’s unfair to not give the clubs who could stay up a chance to do so. I think it would be wrong if it was after the season.
“If you’re a club that is relegated, you go down, would you be happy to get the shout to say you’re back in the Premier League? Of course you would. But I just don’t know if it’s quite correct.”
