Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer hit out at Everton points deduction 'mess' as appeal verdict imminent

Former England strikers Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have hit out over Everton’s Premier League points deduction, describing the situation as a mess.

Everton were hit with a 10-point deduction in November – the heaviest sporting sanction in the 135-year history of English top-flight football – for a single profit and sustainability rules breach. The Blues are now awaiting the verdict of their appeal against that ruling with a decision expected this week but even once that is announced, a second charge must then be dealt with.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker, who scored 40 goals in 57 games for Everton in the 1985/86 season and won the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup finals as a Blues player, said: “As for Everton, that’s seven league games without a win. A worrying run of form, really, after having a particularly good spell after the points deduction, they rallied at that point.

“It’s still hovering over them that points deduction and whether it’ll get reduced. I suspect it might, without having any inside knowledge whatsoever.”

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Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer with 260 goals, interjected: “But they’re on for another one as well, aren’t they?”

Lineker then replied: “Well, that’s it. It’s such a mess in many ways.”

Shearer added: “They’ve obviously appealed and that’s gone through, so we’re waiting on that, but I don’t know. My feeling is they might get some points back but then again they might get done again. It’s a really messy situation.”

The Blues won four straight Premier League