The Premier League’s sponsorship regulations between 2021 and 2024 are “void and unenforceable”, a tribunal ruled on Friday.

The decision follows a legal challenge by Manchester City against the league’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, which regulate commercial deals between clubs and companies linked to their owners if considered above fair market value.

“In the first partial final award, the APT Rules and the amended APT Rules were found to be unlawful in three respects,” the tribunal said in its conclusion.

“There now arises for decision the question of whether those three respects can be severed from the remaining APT rules so that those remaining APT rules are valid and enforceable.

“The three respects in which the APT rules and amended APT rules were unlawful cannot be severed with the result that the APT rules as a whole are void and unenforceable.”

The Premier League has said the ruling does not affect the “valid operation” of its current APT rules, which were amended in November despite objections from City, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa.

“The result, the Tribunal has determined, is that the previous APT Rules, as a whole, are unenforceable,” the Premier League said in a statement.

“However, the previous APT rules are no longer in place, as Clubs voted new APT rules into force in November 2024. This decision expressly does not impact the valid operation of the new rules,” the English league added.

Invalidated rules included low-interest shareholder loans and competition law conflicts outlined by a tribunal last year.

Reigning champions City had previously criticised the Premier League’s approach, arguing that changes to the regulations should not have been implemented before the tribunal’s final ruling.

In a separate independent hearing, City claimed a partial victory after an arbitration panel ruled on sponsorship deals that the club was blocked from completing.

City, who have won eight Premier League titles, one Champions League, three FA Cups and six League Cups since being bought by Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, were accused of more than 100 alleged breaches of finance rules.

They are expected to find out the verdict for the alleged financial breaches later this year.

-Reuters

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Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool united on Thursday to condemn “in the strongest possible terms” racist abuse directed at Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure on social media.

The teams said the abuse was received by Doucoure after the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday, which finished 2-2. After the final whistle, Doucoure was involved in a melee containing players, officials and police officers that took place in front of Liverpool’s visiting fans.

“Such abuse is reprehensible and will not, and should not, be tolerated,” Everton and Liverpool said in a joint statement.

“Together, the two clubs will work with Merseyside Police who are conducting an investigation with the aim of identifying the individuals responsible.”

The teams encouraged social media companies to “take a zero-tolerance stance” on racism.

“Platforms need to take accountability and action to ban such abusers,” the teams said.

Doucoure was seen celebrating in front of Liverpool’s fans after Everton scored a last-gasp equalizer through James Tarkowski to draw the final derby to be played at Goodison Park before the home side moves to a new stadium next season.

Curtis Jones took exception to Doucoure’s conduct and grabbed hold of his rival, sparking a free-for-all. After it finally settled down, Doucoure and Jones were both shown second yellow cards by referee Michael Oliver and therefore sent off. Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, were also shown red cards.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said immediately after the match that he thought Doucoure “wanted to provoke our fans.”

-AP

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A chaotic end to Wednesday’s Merseyside derby, featuring a last-gasp goal and a raft of red cards, provided the perfect conclusion to an old-fashioned tussle between Everton and Liverpool, the last at Goodison Park after 131 years.

Everton captain James Tarkowski equalised deep into stoppage time to earn them a 2-2 Premier League draw against Arne Slot’s side.

But it felt like a victory to Everton boss David Moyes and the Toffees faithful, who serenaded their squad long after the final whistle.

“I think the night was made for something to happen,” said Moyes, whose team are unbeaten in their last four league games. “It wasn’t the greatest, it wasn’t the cleanest game of football you’ve ever watched, bit scrappy on both sides. It was a bit of an old-fashioned throwback in some ways.

“Mental probably sums it up. A brilliant finish for us, to finish the last Goodison Merseyside derby and score in the last minute is in a way fitting.”

Everton’s Beto scored the game’s opener in the 11th minute, before Mohamed Salah first set up Alexis Mac Allister’s goal in the 16th minute and then scored his own in the 73rd and the league leaders looked poised for victory.

Tarkowski struck a blistering goal into the corner in the 98th minute, sparking bedlam among players and fans. A melee between Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure and the Reds’ Curtis Jones saw both receive red cards after Jones took umbrage at Doucoure celebrating in front of the Liverpool stands.

Liverpool boss Slot and assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also shown reds, meaning neither were permitted to speak to TV after the game or attend a post-game press conference.

The stadium exploded after a lengthy VAR check for offside allowed Tarkowski’s goal to stand.

“The bit after the game, it’s not the things you really talk about,” Moyes said. “But the place was boiling hot all night, emotional, incredible atmosphere inside the stadium. The stadium was at fever pitch. You could see what it meant to supporters at the end of the game, the crowd was rocking. It was one of the big nights.”

The final derby before Everton move to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for next season was due to be played in December but was postponed due to Storm Darragh.

The draw, which featured four goals and four red cards, was a fitting finish with neither side able to claim permanent bragging rights — the tally totalling 41 wins apiece at Goodison for the Merseyside rivals with 38 draws.

“I’ve watched (the goal) about 15 times, I won’t lose the image of me volleying that ball into the roof of the net against Liverpool, for sure,” Tarkowski said. “We are leaving this special stadium so a nice memory for everyone going into the future.”

Liverpool, whose single point on Wednesday put them seven clear of second-placed Arsenal atop the Premier League table, have had the upper hand between the two teams of late.

Toffees fans, though, have a sense of humour about their lack of results. One sign in Wednesday’s crowd read: “At least an empty (trophy) cabinet is easier to move.”

The draw has Everton 10 points clear of the danger zone in 15th.

-Reuters

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