Everton points deduction appeal decision ‘made’ as Nottingham Forest await hearing

Toffees are thought to have filed a formal appeal against their second points punishment of the season,

ahead of Sunday’s match against Nottingham Forest.

The relegation rivals meet at Goodison Park on Sunday in a crucial game for the Reds.

However, what occurs off the pitch in the next weeks of the season may be just as important to both clubs’ fates as what happens on it.

Their hearing is set to take place following this weekend’s match, in the week beginning April 22.

Everton were punished 10 points earlier this season for violating Profitability and Sustainability Rules,

but their sentence was reduced to six on appeal. A second infraction resulted in a two-point deduction last week.

The Toffees announced that they will file an appeal against the sentence.

According to BBC Radio Merseyside, they have now made a formal appeal.

The Premier League has set a backup date of May 24 – five days after the final round of fixtures – to resolve both teams’ cases.

Forest’s predicament could be decided before then, but the relegation picture could remain uncertain after the season’s last day.

“It can affect the integrity of the competition, no doubt about it,”

Reds head coach Nuno Espirito Santo remarked last week. “Our strategy will remain unchanged.

“Since we arrived, the goal has always been the same: to win games,

recognise that we have tough opponents, and see how we can accomplish things. This strategy will not alter.

“But there are decisions, and the competition itself requires some final clarity from what I term a chaos.

It’s a shambles because there’s appeal after appeal, and we have no idea what’s going to happen.

“We have expectations, Everton has aspirations, and the other clubs have no idea what will happen this season or the next.

Sixteenth-placed Everton are one spot and one point ahead of Forest in the league as they prepare to face Chelsea this evening (Monday).

The Reds drew 2-2 with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday,

keeping them one point above the bottom three with five games remaining.

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