Gary Neville criticized the Premier League after Everton received a 10-point deduction last week, which pushed them into the relegation zone due to a Financial Fair Play (FFP) violation. This decision sparked widespread criticism, especially among those who believed that the extensive FFP allegations against Manchester City and Chelsea warranted more serious investigation.
During an episode of the Stick to Football podcast sponsored by Sky Bet, Neville expressed strong disapproval, citing “greed and selfishness” as rampant issues in English football. He went on to brand the Premier League as effectively dysfunctional, stating that Everton’s trust in the league had been completely eroded.
Neville strongly condemned the escalating greed and selfishness, labelling the Premier League as an organization where the interests of the 20 clubs often supersede fairness and integrity. He also raised concerns about the lenient fines imposed on Super League clubs, equating them to an attempted murder of the sport and lambasting football’s self-destructive tendencies.
Referencing a recent Premier League vote rejecting a proposed ban on loaning players between affiliated clubs, Neville highlighted this as evidence of corruption within the league, especially regarding financial manoeuvring around FFP regulations, which he deemed tantamount to cheating.
Journalist David Ornstein, a guest on the podcast, revealed that 11 clubs in the league have ties to other football entities, a number that could potentially increase to 13 pending ownership changes at Manchester United and Everton. Ornstein also disclosed the eight clubs that opposed the loan ban, citing their vested interests in maintaining such practices.
The controversy arose amidst reports that Newcastle intended to loan Ruben Neves from Saudi Pro League’s Al-Hilal, owned by the same group that owns Newcastle. Concerns over the game’s integrity were raised, given Neves’s recent move to Al-Hilal for a substantial fee and the potential for a subsequent free or low-cost loan to Newcastle.
Everton performance and stats
Everton is currently 14th in the Premier League with 14 points.
In the last 12 games, it has won 4 times, drawn twice, and lost 6 times. In its last match, Everton won 2-3 against Crystal Palace.
It has a negative goal difference after scoring 14 goals and conceding 17.
Everton will play the next match in Premier League against Manchester United on Sunday 26th of November in Liverpool. The prediction is Manchester United winning the match.