Andy Burnham has hinted at the Premier League engaging in some strange behaviour

"I find all this very troubling."

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has hinted that the Premier League has been engaging in some strange behaviour since they hit Everton with a points deduction. Everton were deducted 10 points after they were found to have broken the league's profit and sustainability rules, spending £19.5m over the allowed limit across four seasons between 2018 and 2022. This s the heaviest points deduction ever handed out by the Premier League and it leaves the toffees currently battling it out in the relegation zone and fighting for survival. Everton feel even more aggrieved by the hefty punishment considering that Man City currently have 115 different financial cases against them, but have yet to see any consequences for them. What makes things stranger is that Burnham did an interview with Sky Sports, where he called on the Premier League to drop the 10 point fine, but the interview in question was pulled and never aired. The mayor then posted from his own account suggesting that something "strange" is going on with the Premier League.

"Something strange is definitely going on behind-the-scenes with the Everton story. "Others have been in touch to say interviews they’ve given were not broadcast PL had to correct a misleading response to my letter given to journalists on Sunday pm."

https://twitter.com/andyburnhamgm/status/1729612804309631054 Speaking to Daily Mail, Burnham said: "I don’t know why it wasn’t broadcast and I’d very much like an explanation. As a former Cabinet Minister, I don’t expect third parties to decide what I can and cannot say. "There seems to be a wider picture here with views expressed by Evertonians at the game being silenced too. I find all this very troubling. They’ve have denied us our points. It surely can’t be right to deny Evertonians our voice as well?"

In response to this a Sky Sports spokesperson said: “Sky Sports has covered this news story extensively across our TV and digital channels, taking a fair and balanced approach to our reporting as always."

Sky Sports also provided some background as to why they decided not to air the interview.

• Andy Burnham completed an interview with SSN on Sunday, however, due to the news of Terry Venables and the resulting shift in our editorial focus, coupled with the live football action on the day, it didn’t make it on-air. Andy did however speak to Sky News yesterday on Sophie Ridge’s show.
• As with any sensitive news story, our editorial approach is always to provide fair and balanced coverage.

Related links:

• Man United created Premier League history in win against Everton
• Everton face record-breaking points deduction over FFP rule breaches
• Everton handed historic Premier League points deduction