John Aldridge: No Points Deduction for City and Chelsea

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has emphatically asserted that neither Manchester City nor Chelsea will face the same fate of a points deduction as Everton did recently.

In a shocking turn of events last Friday, Everton found themselves slapped with an immediate 10-point deduction for breaching the financial regulations set by the Premier League. This penalty has plunged the Toffees into the relegation zone, adding a significant challenge to their already precarious season.

Among the top clubs, Manchester City is the sole entity to have received charges from the Premier League for violating financial rules. The allegations suggest that City breached over 100 rules spanning from 2009 to 2018. Meanwhile, Chelsea could potentially be under scrutiny due to reports linking payments to former owner Roman Abramovich, although as of now, the Premier League has not pressed charges against the Blues.

Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, John Aldridge expressed his perspective on Everton’s situation, stating, “Everton were a sitting duck. I don’t know how you gauge it, so I guess it all comes down to what happens in the future. We’ve all seen what’s gone on with Chelsea under Roman Abramovich or everything at Man City – 115 charges.”

Aldridge raised the question of whether the differing outcomes for Everton, City, and Chelsea were influenced by the subsequent success of the latter two in the top six. He pondered whether Everton’s inability to match the financial clout of City and Chelsea played a role in the severity of the punishment. Aldridge pointed out, “City have got unlimited amounts, Chelsea have got unlimited amounts, so they’ve scared off the people who are trying to do them for years, delaying and delaying… Everton physically could not do that – I’m sure they would have done too with the same resources.”