Everton's 10-point deduction from Premier League has 'opened the door' to sanctions for other clubs, insists Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom

The Toffees were deducted ten points with immediate effect last Friday, a record punishment for a top-flight club.

Premier League rules state that clubs are permitted to lose £105million over three years, and an independent commission found Everton's losses to 2021-22 amounted to £124.5m.

The penalty has plunged the Merseysiders into the relegation zone as a consequence - dropping from 14th place to 19th.

They find themselves one point behind third-from-bottom United in the table.

The sanction has also intensified speculation that Manchester City and Chelsea could also receive points penalties in particular.

Back in February, City were charged by the Premier League with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules following a four-year investigation.

It referred the club to an independent commission over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018.

It also accused City of not co-operating since the investigation started in December 2018.

Meanwhile, Chelsea face questions about their success under Roman Abramovich after leaked documents appeared to show a series of payments that potentially breached Financial Fair Play rules.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Heckingbottom, whose side face a relegation six-pointer at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, said: "I think it has opened the door to other sanctions. We can't just have one team punished, we need more if there's been breaches.

"We suffered last season from that and I think, me being a football fan, I think it's only right. The rules are there for a reason and they should be imposed, otherwise what is the point?

"From Everton's point of view, they are going to feel hard done to because they are the first and it's the biggest punishment we've had in the Premier League.

"So that will only be seen as justifiable if others follow suit with bigger punishments, potentially. It has opened up all sorts."

While Everton's punishment has had the effect of dragging another team into the relegation picture alongside the Blades, Burnley, Luton and Bournemouth, Heckingbottom is circumspect and not reading much into their current post-penalty position.

He continued: "But from a football point of view, I've honestly been impressed with Everton this season. I think they should have had more points than what they had anyway.

"So whilst it initially knocks them down into where they are, they have shown more than enough for me to show that they are going to be fighting and be more than capable to work their way out of it.

"We just hope that we finish above them.”