Sky Sports pundit and former Premier League star Jamie Carragher believes that Everton's punishment for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules was harsh considering what other clubs - including Chelsea - have done in the past.

Sean Dyche's side are now set for a relegation battle as the points deduction takes them from 14th down into the drop zone to 19th, now just one point in front of struggling Sheffield United who recorded their first win of the season just two weeks ago. The Toffees are set to appeal the ruling straight away, but the club have faced a financial loss of £372million over the last three years.

It's more than £250million above what the Premier League's guidelines allows clubs to lose in that three-year timeframe, with the Premier League releasing a statement saying: "An independent Commission has imposed an immediate deduction of 10 points on Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs).

"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 £124.5million, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105million permitted under the PSRs. The Commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed."

Now it's possible the Blues could face an even more severe punishment, including potential relegation from the top flight of English football, after potential FFP regulation breaches of their own, as well as an independent investigation around alleged payments made by former owner Roman Abramovich from 'offshore vehicles' which appear to have favoured the club unbeknownst to governing bodies.

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Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City are also under their own investigation over FFP regulation breaches - 115 to be exact that were committed from a period starting in 2009 and ending in 2018 - but many have pointed out the hypocrisy of the league to go after Everton so quickly while some of the bigger clubs have so far gone without punishment.

The former Liverpool defender pointed out how harsh it is on the Toffees given that there were six clubs - including Chelsea - that went unpunished for trying to create a breakaway league just three years ago. Posting to his social media account on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote: "The 10 point deduction for Everton is excessive & not right, considering they have been working with the PL about this for the last couple of years.

"Would it have been better to be evasive & try & drag it out like other clubs? No doubt relegated clubs will have put big pressure on the PL to deal with Everton, but when you consider 6 clubs tried to leave the PL & there was no sanction at all it doesn’t feel right.

"Until other clubs are sanctioned Everton will feel they are being used to show there is no need for an independent regulator, and they are right."