(Reuters) – Everton’s 10-point deduction being reduced on Monday to six points after appeal does not make much difference to Luton Town’s bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League, Hatters manager Rob Edwards said.
Luton, who are currently in 18th place with 20 points, were trailing Everton by one point with a game in hand before the reduction in the penalty for breaching the league’s financial rules. However, despite the adjustment, Everton has now moved up to 15th place with 25 points.
“We’ve been going off the league table with no deduction anyway, so makes no real difference. We were in the bottom three before, we are now,” Edwards told reporters. “Situation is the same, really, from my point of view.”
Nottingham Forest, who have now dropped to 17th place, are four points ahead of Luton, having played a game more. Forest is also facing the possibility of a points deduction for breaking the league’s spending rules.
Edwards emphasized that Luton would not be relying on other teams having their points deducted to help them avoid relegation.
“That can’t be the thing that keeps us in the league. We’ve got to try and make it in our own hands … in a way it’s good there’s a bit of clarity,” he said.
“It is important what other people do, but if we don’t do our job it doesn’t matter at all anyway.”
Luton will be hosting holders Manchester City in an FA Cup fifth-round tie on Tuesday, followed by a home game against Aston Villa on Saturday in their next league match.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
