LONDON (AP) — Everton’s

points deduction

for a breach of the Premier League's financial rules has been reduced from 10 to six following an appeal, the competition said Monday.

Everton appealed against the initial decision of an independent commission that was made in November last year.

The league says an independent appeals board upheld two of the Merseyside club's nine grounds for appeal, leading to the points deduction being trimmed by four.

It means Everton moves up two places to 15th, five points above the relegation zone.

Everton said it was pleased that the appeal board “overturned the original commission’s finding that the club failed to act in utmost good faith.”

“That decision, along with reducing the points deduction, was an incredibly important point of principle for the club on appeal,” Everton said. “The club, therefore, feels vindicated in pursuing its appeal.”

Everton was found by the commission to have made a loss of 124.5 million pounds ($155 million) over three years up to the end of the 2021-22 season. The league’s profit and financial sustainability rules allow clubs to lose a maximum of 105 million pounds ($130 million) over a three-year period or face sanctions.

The 10-point deduction was the biggest sporting sanction in the Premier League’s 31-year history.

Everton could be facing

another points deduction

after breaching the same financial thresholds for the three-year period ending in the 2022-23 season. The club is expected to discover its punishment in the coming weeks.

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