Mauricio Pochettino has pointed to the punishment previously handed to Everton while discussing what could constitute a fair sanction for Manchester City following reports of the independent commission’s findings.
The former Tottenham and Chelsea manager referenced both Everton and Nottingham Forest, who received points deductions for breaches of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules during the 2023/24 season.
Pochettino points to Everton and Forest sanctions
Speaking to ESPN, Pochettino questioned how an appropriate punishment could be determined following reports that City had been found guilty of the vast majority of the charges against them.
“It’s very difficult when out of 115 charges you are found guilty of 114 to know what the punishment should be to make it fair,” Pochettino said.
“Nottingham Forest or Everton broke rules and received different sanctions, whether point deductions or fines.”
There is an important distinction. Everton’s cases and Manchester City’s case are not the same.
Everton admitted breaching the Premier League’s PSR limits. Their initial 10-point deduction for the first breach was reduced to six on appeal, before a separate breach resulted in a further two-point deduction later in the same season.
City’s case covers a much broader collection of charges across a lengthy period and raises different regulatory issues. The club continues to dispute the findings being reported and maintains its innocence, with the process yet to reach its final conclusion.
Pochettino was therefore not suggesting that Everton’s eight-point punishment provides a direct formula for whatever might eventually happen to City. His reference to the Blues came as part of a wider argument about the difficulty of deciding what constitutes a proportionate sanction.
Everton’s eight-point deduction enters wider debate
Everton experienced the immediate effects of sporting sanctions during the 2023/24 season, losing a total of eight points due to two separate PSR breaches.
Nottingham Forest were also deducted four points for breaching the Premier League’s PSR limits that season.
For Everton supporters, however, Pochettino’s decision to mention the club is inevitably noteworthy.
The Blues lost eight points during a relegation battle after admitting two separate PSR breaches. Pochettino has now put those punishments into the wider discussion around City, even though the scale, nature and circumstances of the cases are very different.
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