Leeds United: ‘Concern’ over EFL points deduction likely at Leicester City – Phil Hay
Phil Hay believes Leicester City will still have fear that the EFL could try to impose a points deduction which would change the title race with Leeds United and Ipswich “quite significantly”.
Speaking on The Square Ball Podcast on 15 March the Athletic journalist said that he felt it was too late in the season for the league to successfully bring about a sanction on the Foxes for a profit and sustainability breach, but as it couldn’t be 100% ruled out it would be weighing on the league-leaders.
He also indicated that there will be frustration at Elland Road having made the effort to stay within the financial regulations, citing the early sale of Luis Sinisterra for less than the permanent option in his loan to Bournemouth, while rivals apparently have not.
Hay said (19m 45s): “There will be that minor concern down there [at Leicester]. It seems to me that the timeframe’s too tight now to the end of the season for the EFL to actually do anything.
“But there must be that little concern that the EFL are going to try and wade in on this, and if there was to be a points deduction or a sanction of that nature then it obviously changes everything quite significantly.
“And given they’re already in breach of PSR, or so we think anyway but it certainly seemed to indicate that in the document that was released last week, they cannot afford not to go up this season otherwise that’s going to handicap them more and more.
“Leeds have managed to stay compliant to this point, so they tell us. I’ve no reason to doubt them. And I think one of the frustrations at Leeds is they have actually made the effort to be PSR compliant, it’s been tricky.”
Frustration at Leeds United over FFP situation at the King Power
With the promotion battle so tight there is no guarantee that any of the runaway top four will even get into the Premier League automatically, let alone win the Championship title.
On current form few would bet against Leeds United, having surged into second and reduced the gap to the top to just three points heading into the weekend.
But if Leicester have benefited from breaking spending rules to put themselves in the box seat then obviously that will grate at Elland Road, not least since the Foxes, Everton and Nottingham Forest were the three teams that finished above the Whites in the Premier League table last season when relegated and have all been charged.
All three clubs might reasonably argue that it is very difficult to pinpoint what advantages have been gained where, and given the top flight’s rules are now set to change in the summer it appears they weren’t fit for purpose anyway.
But in simple terms, if a points deduction that would have put a club behind Leeds cannot arrive in time, just as the Toffees’ one came too late when handed down this season, it will not please Angus Kinnear at company in the slightest.
In other Leeds United news, an attacker used by Daniel Farke this term has already played his last game for the Whites.
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