Everton's penalty for breaching Premier League financial rules has been reduced from 10 points to six following an appeal, the English top flight announced on Monday.
The club were hit with the punishment — the biggest in Premier League history — for breaching profit and sustainability rules (PSRs) in the three-year assessment period ending in 2021/22.
The original deduction meant Sean Dyche's side started Monday 19th in the table and fighting to beat relegation.
But an independent appeal board has cut the punishment by four points, which moves the Merseysiders up from 17th to 15th place.
"Everton FC appealed the sanction imposed against it on nine grounds, each of which related to the sanction rather than the fact of the breach, which the club admitted," the Premier League said in a statement.
"Two of those nine grounds were upheld by the appeal board, which has substituted the original points deduction of 10 for six."
Everton said they were satisfied the appeal had resulted in a reduction in the points sanction.
The club face a second PSR complaint over breaching rules over the period running to the end of last season.
That complaint was laid on January 15 and under standard directions for PSR cases the commission hearing must conclude no later than 12 weeks afterwards, which would be April 8.
Everton said in a statement they were "particularly pleased with the appeal board's decision to overturn 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," the statement added. "The club, therefore, feels vindicated in pursuing its appeal."
"Notwithstanding the appeal board's decision, and the positive outcome, the club remains fully committed to cooperating with the Premier League in respect of the ongoing proceedings brought for the accounting period ending in June 2023."
Nine-time English champions Everton have been a continuous presence in the top flight since 1954 and have never been relegated from the Premier League.
But they only avoided the drop by two points last season and have spent years in the shadow of city rivals Liverpool. Everton last won a trophy in 1995.
Premier League champions Manchester City were charged last year with 115 alleged breaches of financial fair play regulations in a case that is ongoing.
Only two other clubs have received points deductions in Premier League history.
Middlesbrough were deducted three points for failing to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn during the 1996/97 season, while in 2010 Portsmouth were deducted nine points after going into administration.
Both clubs ended the season with relegation.
AFP