Prince Rupert's Tower
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Former Everton star set to miss Monday’s clash at Goodison Park

By Matt Townsend

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 18: Richarlison of Tottenham Hotspur is embraced by Antonio Conte, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, after being substituted off during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Friends Provident St. Mary's Stadium on March 18, 2023 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MARCH 18: Richarlison of Tottenham Hotspur is embraced by Antonio Conte, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, after being substituted off during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Friends Provident St. Mary's Stadium on March 18, 2023 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /
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As the buld up to Monday’s Premier League match at Goodison continues, it looks very likely a former Everton star could well miss the game.

That player is of course, Richarlison. The Brazilian forward left the Blues’ last summer and joined Spurs in a £60 million deal.

That transfer enabled Everton to balance the books in time for the end of the season and so we all thought, ensure no potential action from the League over the club’s finances.

Well, we thought wrong. The Premier League has this week referred the Toffees’ to an independent commission for alledged breaches of FFP rules and regulations.

The outcome of this commission’s musings are entirely uncertain but possible punishments for a breach could include fines, points deductions or even expulsion from the Premier League.

Everton have strenously denied all the charges and the case isn’t likely to be decided before the end of this campaign, at the earliest.

Anyway, all that is a problem for the longer-term. The immediate concern for Sean Dyche and his team is picking up points to ensure survival at the end of this season.

And, the run-in to the end of the season begins on Monday evening as the Blues’ host Tottenham at the Grand Old Lady.

This game is the first of five remaining home fixtures for the Toffees’. They really need to claim wins from at least three to give themselves a fighting chance of staying up.

This is particularly the case given that Everton have struggled so much away from home in recent seasons. Although, they have picked up vital points in the last two away matches.

If the Blues’ could beat Spurs, Fulham and Newcastle United, they would be in a strong position going into the last few weeks of the season.

So, anything that helps to give the home team a better chance has to be welcomed. The likely absence of Richarlison from the Spurs side on Monday could be just such a bonus.

Although the Brazilian hasn’t set North London alight since his big money move and seemed to have fallen out with Antonio Conte, given the Toffees’ luck he probably would have scored against his former employers.

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