Everton drops appeal against Premier League points deduction after staving off relegation

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Everton has dropped an appeal against a two-point reduction for breaching the Premier League's spending rules, having successfully staved off the threat of relegation.

The club said Friday it will not go ahead with a scheduled hearing to contest the punishment handed down by an independent regulatory commission last month.

Everton said it "will conclude the 2023-24 Premier League season with the two-point deduction remaining in place.”

The relegation-threatened club was docked two points last week for overspending in a three-year spell up to the end of the 2022-23 season. It was a second deduction this season, with Everton having already had six points removed — reduced from 10 following an appeal — for breaching spending limits from 2019-20 to the 2021-22 season.

The deductions had put Everton in danger of relegation but Sean Dyche's team secured another year in the topflight thanks to three straight wins last month, including against archrival Liverpool.

The team is in 15th place with two games remaining, 11 points above the relegation zone.

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