Everton

Everton suddenly finds itself in danger of relegation after a 10-point deduction for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules dropped the club to 19th in the table on Friday.

In a statement from the Premier League, an independent commission imposed a 10-point deduction on the Toffees for a breach of the rules during the 2021-22 season:

"The Premier League issued a complaint against the club and referred the case to an independent commission earlier this year. During the proceedings, the club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute.

"Following a five-day hearing last month, the commission determined that Everton FC's PSR calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5 million, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105 million permitted under the PSRs. The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect."

In response to the punishment, Everton said in a statement it was "shocked and disappointed by the ruling" and will file an appeal:

The Times' Martyn Ziegler reported in May 2022 that Leeds United and Burnley submitted a joint letter to the Premier League threatening to bring a legal claim against the league and Everton.

The clubs also demanded to see details "of what—if any—action or investigation the league" has started after the Goodison Park club recorded financial losses totaling £371.8 million over the previous three years.

Per ESPN's Mark Ogden, the Premier League's profit and financial stability rules allow clubs "to register losses of up to £105m over a three-year period or risk the prospect of financial penalties or, in serious cases, a points deduction."

Everton, Leeds and Burnley were all fighting to avoid relegation at the end of the 2021-22 season. The Toffees' 3-2 win over Crystal Palace in their penultimate game gave them 39 points overall, finishing one point ahead of Leeds and four better than Burnley in the table.

Per The Athletic's David Ornstein and Patrick Boyland, other potential punishments that could have been levied against Everton included a fine or transfer embargo.

Instead, the 10-point deduction dropped the Merseyside club from 14th place in the Premier League standings with 14 points to a tie with Burnley for fewest points this season.

Manager Sean Dyche's team is in the midst of a three-match unbeaten streak after a 2-1-6 start. There are still 25 matches left in the Premier League season for the club to dig itself out of this hole, but this is a much more difficult task if the appeal is denied.

Everton has been a member of the Premier League since it launched in the 1992-93 season. Its best finish was fourth place in 2004-05 and most recently finished in the top 10 in 2020-21. It has not been outside of the English top tier since 1954.

The Blues' next Premier League match is against Manchester United at Goodison Park on Nov. 26.

Everton midfielder Dele Alli revealed he was a victim of sexual abuse and entered treatment for addiction that stemmed from his childhood trauma.

The 27-year-old spoke with Gary Neville for The Overlap and said he was molested when he was six by a family friend. His ordeals compounded from there.

"Seven, I started smoking; eight, I started dealing drugs," he said (via the Guardian's Andy Hunter). "An older person told me that they wouldn't stop a kid on a bike, so I rode around with my football, and then underneath I'd have the drugs—that was eight.

"Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate, a man. Twelve, I was adopted—and from then, I was adopted by an amazing family, I couldn't have asked for better people to do what they'd done for me. If God created people, it was them."

As he got older, Alli told Neville he developed an addiction to sleeping pills and began drinking to "escape from the reality."

"I was never really dealing with the problem which was growing and the traumas I had, the feelings I was holding on to; I tried to deal with it all by myself," he said. "My adopted family, my brother, there were times they would take me aside crying, asking me to just speak to them about what I was feeling, but I couldn't do it. I lost myself for a few years, I was just turning everyone away, when I had the family that saved my life crying, asking me to tell them what's wrong, and I just didn't want to do it."

Alli was the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2015-16 and 2016-17, and he was only 20 when he made four appearances for the national team at Euro 2016. He appeared to be primed for superstardom, only to see his career stall out.

The former England international detailed how he contemplated retiring altogether when he was just 24 after he had fallen out of favor with Tottenham Hotspur manager José Mourinho. He said it was "heartbreaking" to even ponder walking away given how much he loves the game.

Alli explained to Neville he felt compelled to seek out professional help after he discovered he needed to undergo knee surgery, which brought his loan with Beşiktaş to an end.

"I was waking up every day, and I was winning the fight, going into training, smiling, showing that I was happy," he said (via ESPN). "But inside, I was definitely losing the battle and it was time for me to change it because when I got injured and they told me I needed surgery, I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle begins and I didn't want it to happen anymore."

Alli was at a treatment facility in the United States for six weeks this summer to address his mental health. He told Neville he came forward in part to encourage others experiencing the same problems to get the help they need.

"I want to help other people to know that they're not alone in the feelings they've got and that you can talk to people; it doesn't make you weak to get help, to be vulnerable," he said. "There's a lot of strength in that. So, to come out and to share my story, I'm happy to do it."

English Premier League club Everton announced that its entire board of directors has been instructed to not attend Saturday's home match against Southampton due to safety concerns.

In a statement, Everton said Chairman Bill Kenwright, CEO Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Chief Finance & Strategy Officer Grant Ingles and Non-Executive Director Graeme Sharp would miss the match after it was determined there is a "real and credible threat to their safety and security."

Everton added the decision was made after the club received "malicious and unacceptably threatening correspondence" in addition to increased instances of "targeted physical aggression" at recent home matches.

"This is an unprecedented decision for Everton Football Club—never before has our entire Board of Directors been ordered not to attend a match on safety grounds. It is a profoundly sad day for Everton and Evertonians," a club spokesperson said.

Per Greg O'Keeffe and David Ornstein of The Athletic, Barrett-Baxendale and Kenwright were both the subject of threats recently.

Barrett-Baxendale was reportedly put in a headlock by a fan at a recent home game, and "sexually aggressive" comments were made toward her as well. She also reportedly received an email that wished for her and her son to get cancer, and her car was surrounded following a recent game.

It was also reported that Kenwright received emails in which it was stated that he "would not leave Liverpool alive."

Everton has endured a frustrating season that has seen the team fall toward the bottom of the table. Approaching the halfway point in the season, Everton entered play Saturday in 18th place in the EPL with only 15 points.

If the standings stay that way for the remainder of the season, Everton would be relegated for only the third time in club history and the first time since 1951.

Everton has been in the top flight of English football since returning from relegation in 1954, and it has never dropped out of the EPL since it was first established in 1992.

Although Everton has been a top-half club at times in the EPL era, its struggles have been evident in recent years. The Toffees finished 16th last season, which was the closest the team had come to relegation since a 17th-place finish in 2003-04.

Saturday represents a golden opportunity for Everton to move up the table, as it is hosting a Southampton squad that is in last place in the EPL with just 12 points.

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira appeared to kick an Everton supporter who rushed the pitch following the Toffees' 3-2 victory over the Eagles on Thursday that secured Everton's place in the Premier League next season. 

"I do not have anything to say about that," Vieira told reporters after the match when asked about the situation. 

It was a dramatic day at Goodison Park, as Everton overcame a 2-0 deficit with three second-half goals to push them to 39 points on the season, four clear of Leeds in 18th place. With just one match remaining, that meant Everton was officially clear of the bottom three relegation places and will return to the Premier League next season. 

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the game-winning goal in the 85th minute, and some fans stormed the field at that time. After the pitch was cleared and the game proceeded, an even larger throng of fans rushed onto the field as the final whistle blew, celebrating with the Toffees. 

But while most supporters were enjoying the moment, some appeared to harass Vieira as he attempted to leave the field. 

"I feel for Patrick," Everton manager Frank Lampard told reporters after the match. "I didn't get him at the end. I would have said, 'Come in with us.' Although he might not have wanted that. Of course he ran 80 yards across the pitch and it's not easy."

The incident came two days after Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp was headbutted in the second leg of his team's 3-3 aggregate result (3-2 defeat in penalties) to Nottingham Forest in the Championship playoff semifinal matchup between the clubs. 

Robert Biggs, 30, was arrested and sentenced to 24 weeks in jail and and given a 10-year football ban for the attack. The incident left Sharp bloodied and in need of stitches. 

"It's assault," Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom told reporters. "We've seen one of our players attacked. He's shook up, bleeding, angry."

Former Everton and Manchester United star and current Derby County manager Wayne Rooney said he would isolate during his playing career and drink to cope with the stress that accompanied his playing career. 

Rooney opened up during an interview with Oliver Holt of the Mail on Sunday:

In my early years at Manchester United, probably until we had my first son, Kai, I locked myself away really. I never went out. There were times you'd get a couple of days off from football and I would actually lock myself away and just drink, to try to take all that away from my mind. People might know that I liked a drink at times or went out but there was a lot more to it than just that. It was what was going on in my head.

Now, people would be more empowered to speak about that kind of thing. Back then, in my head and with other players, there was no way I could go into the United dressing room and start saying, 'This is how I am feeling,' because you just wouldn't do it. Then you would end up suffering internally rather than letting your thoughts out. Locking myself away made me forget some of the issues I was dealing with. It was like a binge.

Rooney, 36, was one of the best players of his generation. His 253 total goals for United represent a club record. He also was a regular fixture for England, scoring a record 53 goals in 120 appearances. No outfield player has featured more for the men's national team, and he was just five games shy of Peter Shilton's overall record.

But that success came with a lot of attention and criticism, a side of the game the young Rooney wasn't ready for when he made his professional debut at just 16. 

"It took a long time for me to get used to that and figure out how to deal with it. It was like being thrown in somewhere where you are just not comfortable. That was tough for me," he said. "I had made a lot of mistakes when I was younger, some in the press and some not in the press, whether that's fighting or whatever. For me to deal with that, deal with stuff that was in the newspapers, deal with the manager at the time, deal with family at the time, was very difficult."

Rooney said that the anger he felt gave him an edge on the field, granting him a level of aggressiveness and unpredictability that aided his play. But it also led to mistakes off the pitch, at least until he learned that he needed to talk to someone.

"A bad moment? It could be anything. That you weren't playing well, the pressure you put on yourself, which I always tried to hide. Sometimes I tried to hide it with over-confidence. Sometimes that's to mask the pressure you feel," he said. "It could have been when I had done something wrong off the field and pressure builds and even going into the local shops, you want to hide from everyone. It is embarrassing. I was embarrassed by it."

That led to Rooney isolating and comforting himself by drinking. He says he has a much better relationship with alcohol and has used his experiences as a player to help him be a better manager for his players at Derby County.

"Part of the problem I have is that I do trust people," he said. "That was exactly my first message to the players here at Derby: 'I will give you my trust, but I need it back.' Once that trust is broken, it is very difficult to recover. Yeah, people want stuff off you, but I take responsibility for that because some of the stuff I have done is my decisions and that's me leaving myself open."

Carlo Ancelotti has returned to Real Madrid as manager after previously holding the job from 2013 to 2015, the club announced Tuesday.

David Ornstein and Greg O'Keeffe of The Athletic first reported the completion of an agreement between the two sides.

The 61-year-old spent the past year at Everton in the Premier League but terminated his contract with three years remaining, per Fabrizio Romano.

Ancelotti led Real Madrid to a UEFA Champions League title in 2014 but was let go in 2015 after his second season without a La Liga crown.

The manager's extensive career also includes time at top European clubs Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich and Napoli. He won two more Champions League titles at Milan, and his resume boasts first-place finishes in Serie A, the Premier League, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

The stint at Everton wasn't quite as successful. The Toffees finished 10th in the EPL last season while failing to qualify for any European competition in 2021-22.

Ancelotti will look for more success in his return to Real Madrid, replacing Zinedine Zidane after the former star player resigned last week.

Los Blancos failed to secure a trophy in 2020-21, finishing second in La Liga after losing to Chelsea in the UCL semifinal. The aging roster also has plenty of question marks, with many of its key players from last season all over 30 years old, including Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. 

It will create a challenge for Ancelotti to live up to lofty expectations at the Spanish club.

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has said the Toffees are "not really self-isolating" because of the coronavirus but are taking preventative measures.

Ancelotti spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia) about the current situation at the club and added that the Premier League had made the right decision to suspend the competition.

"We're not really self-isolating at all, but some prevention measures did come in after a player had a fever, but his temperature has dropped now and that’s the most important thing.

"The Premier League did stop eventually, and it's about time. It was the right decision faced with the scenario. We couldn't continue. Health is the most important thing for everyone: teams, fans, media, everyone who works in football.

"In theory, we ought to get back to work on March 22, but if the situation in general should worsen, how can we even think of that? If the coronavirus is still spreading rapidly, football cannot resume."

The Merseysiders announced on Friday that a player was self-isolating for seven days after reporting a high temperature and the club's training facility would close as a precaution:

Everton are one of a number of Premier League clubs to have been affected by the coronavirus. 

Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City and Bournemouth have all confirmed they have players in self-isolation in a bid to help contain the spread of the virus.

The Premier League is on hold until April 4, and a meeting will be held on Thursday to discuss how to continue the campaign, according to Sky Sports.

There has already been plenty of debate about what happens next, but Ancelotti said he was "not interested" because "football counts for zero right now."

The Italian was also critical of United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson's response to the pandemic:

Premier League fixtures had been scheduled to go ahead on the weekend of March 13 to 15 until Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta tested positive for the coronavirus.

His diagnosis prompted an emergency Premier League meeting where the decision was finally made to halt the competition.   

Everton's have placed one of their players in self-isolation after he displayed flu-like symptoms amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The club posted the following message on Twitter on Friday:

Everton's match with Liverpool has since been postponed, with the Premier League confirming on Friday that no games will be played until April 4 at the earliest.

Paul Joyce of The Times provided further details, noting a number of the club's facilities, including Goodison Park, have been closed:

On Thursday, Arsenal announced that their manager, Mikel Arteta, had tested positive for the virus, while Chelsea confirmed in the early hours of Friday morning that winger Callum Hudson-Odoi had COVID-19.

The Blues youngster has since said in a social media post that he has been able to recover from the illness but is still in isolation.

Per Dan Roan of BBC News, a number of clubs have already been affected by the coronavirus pandemic:

With football suspended in many major leagues across Europe, the Premier League followed suit and stopped upcoming matches.

The Merseyside derby at Goodison Park was set to be an important one. Had Manchester City lost to Burnley on Saturday in the Premier League, then Liverpool would have had the chance to win the Premier League title at the home of their rivals.

Per CNN, COVID-19 has infected around 125,000 people globally, killing in excess of 4,600.

Moise Kean's agent has said Everton are "happy" with the striker despite a slow start to his Goodison Park career.

Enzo Raiola told Juve News (h/t Sport Witness' Sean Lunt) the Toffees have faith the Italy international will grow in the Premier League.

"Everton? They are happy with him," Raiola said. "He didn't have a brilliant start, but the club believes in him, and they are happy. He will slowly have more opportunities."

The 20-year-old has struggled to adapt during his first campaign in England since arriving from Juventus last summer.

Kean signed a five-year deal with Everton last August, joining for an initial fee of £25.1 million, rising to a potential £27.5 million, according to BBC Sport.

The player is Juve's youngest-ever debutant at 16, and he also became Italy's youngest goalscorer at international level in a competitive match. Kean started for Italy against Finland in Euro 2020 qualifying, scoring the opener in a 2-0 win on March 23, 2019.

The striker remains an emerging talent, and the arrival of compatriot Carlo Ancelotti as coach could help his development on Merseyside.

However, the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin has cemented the Sheffield-born striker as Everton's No. 9, and Richarlison is also an option in that position.

Kean has started just five Premier League games this term, scoring once. The youngster has risen from the bench in 17 league matches.

The Italian is blessed with natural finishing ability, but he'll need to adapt to the pace of English football if he wants to be a success under Ancelotti.