See What Nottingham appeal on points deduction means for Chelsea and Arsenal in Man City FFP wait
See What Nottingham appeal on points deduction means for Chelsea and Arsenal in Man City FFP wait
Nottingham Forest are the second club to be appeal the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSRs) points deduction.
Earlier in the season, Everton were docked 10 points, which was later reduced to six on appeal. Now, Forest have lost four points but in a statement on Monday evening, they declared they would be following the same course of action as the Toffees.
The statement read: “Nottingham Forest can confirm that it has today lodged an appeal against the four-point sanction imposed by the Commission in relation to the Club’s breach of the Premier League’s PSR. The club will not be making any further statement at this time.”
Responding, the Premier League replied: “Nottingham Forest Football Club has appealed the decision of an independent Commission to impose a four-point deduction on the club, after its admission of a breach of the Premier League’s PSR. The club lodged the appeal to the Chair of the Judicial Panel today, who will now appoint an Appeal Board to hear the case.”
The decision, announced last week, pushed Forest into the relegation zone, with Luton Town moving out of the bottom three by a single point. The news of the deduction came as the Premier League faced increasing pressure from the government to finalise a new financial agreement with the English Football League (EFL).
This follows the confirmation of a new model last week. Changes to the PSRs are also expected in the coming years.
Interestingly, the league, which had never previously taken action against its own clubs, has now charged three teams with breaking regulations in the past 18 months. Everton were the first to be found guilty of exceeding the £105m loss limit over a three-year period when they were charged in March 2023.
However, Manchester City’s case was revealed earlier. The reigning champions were left stunned when the league slapped them with 115 charges for various wrongdoings over a decade ending in 2018. Unlike the cases of Everton and Forest, City’s trial is still to come, with no public date announced yet.
Just like every update in these crucial cases, people are asking why City haven’t been prosecuted yet. The same questions will be raised again as City are put under close examination.
Considering they’re still in another title race – which Arsenal are battling hard to win – and the FA Cup, where they’ve drawn Chelsea in the semi-finals, it makes sense that their financial situation is being looked at. As shown, breaking the rules can lead to a hefty penalty, and losing four points – or six, or 10 – would massively affect City’s league position.
It’s important to mention that City strongly deny any wrongdoing. However, the Premier League are also confident they’ve judged the situation correctly and wouldn’t accuse their most powerful club without evidence.
This leaves a shadow hanging over the ongoing matches. The recent punishment has once again sparked discussions about the potential outcomes, which could be significant for Arsenal.
If City were found guilty and had points deducted last season, it could have been a big boost for the Gunners. Possible punishments range from fines, both large and small, to titles being stripped, relegation, or points deductions.
This off-field drama will continue to loom over each competition City and their rivals participate in until a decision is made, and likely long after. On the field, City still have a match against Forest.
With the added pressure of potentially losing even more points if the appeal doesn’t go their way, this could impact the title race. Tottenham also have a game against Forest before the season ends, as does Chelsea.
The strong stance against breaking financial rules is also acting as a deterrent for all teams as they plan for the summer transfer window. Both Arsenal and Chelsea were very cautious with their winter business, knowing they were walking a fine line.
