Leeds United, Burnley and Leicester City may launch claim against Premier League instead of Everton
Leeds United may now bring a claim against the Premier League over their “alleged failures” in the disciplinary process against Everton, according to the Daily Mail.
The paper reported on 1 December via their website that with the Whites, Burnley and Leicester looking set to withdraw their threat to sue the Toffees in favour of negotiations on a settlement they could now put the league in their sights instead.
The three sides are not willing to be the cause of administration at Goodison Park but remain “aggrieved” by the top flight’s handling of the profit and sustainability breach that has seen Sean Dyche’s side docked 10 points.
The delay between the Premier League referring Everton to the commission in March and the eventual hearing in October is seen as part of the reason their relegation rivals failed to avoid the drop.
However, the Mail report also notes the independent commission had already denied an attempt from the league authorities to have the case heard last season.
Long shot
While the decision to step back from a major legal claim against Everton makes logical sense as well as emotional sense, since administration for the Toffees would see the Whites receive little to nothing in compensation and it would damage Leeds’ reputation to have forced their rivals into oblivion.
Some supporters might feel that is what the Merseyside club deserves after the spending of the Farhad Moshiri era, but the hierarchy will equally be aware that they never know when the shoe might be on the other foot.
When it comes to going after the league it doesn’t sound like it would be worth the same endeavour, since they can surely point to the commission on responsibility for the timeframe of Everton’s punishment.
While the head of the panel, David Phillips KC, had already ruled rival clubs could at least bring a claim against the Toffees it would be a different dynamic to go against the Premier League.
And with Daniel Farke currently leading this side’s charge back towards the top flight it might only serve to rub the authorities up the wrong way with little chance of success.
The displeasure at the timing of the whole process has led to changes that will see simple breaches this season head before the end of the campaign, which is clearly too late to benefit Leeds United in this case.
But absent a different avenue of attack outside of the months of delay it looks tricky to make a success of any claim against the league.
In other Leeds United news, a Sky Sports pundit is concerned that a behind-the-scenes move has left the Whites open to the same mess as at Old Trafford.