Nottingham Forest’s race against relegation just got tougher as they dropped into the Relegation Zone after they were docked four points by the Premier League on Monday for breaching the financial fair play rules.

The club is expected to appeal the decision even though they admitted to the charges in the breach that the Premier League brought against them. With the new ruling, Nottingham Forest sits in the last relegation place in the bottom three, just one point adrift of safety with nine games left in the season.

That also means they have just 21 points and Luton Town move out of the drop zone into 17th position. Since getting promoted to the Premier League in 2022, Forest has signed a whooping forty-two players in just four transfer windows.

Nottingham Forest was only £3.6m above the PSR limit, which is £35m, and the Four deduction points for the excess £3.6m. They are the second Premier League team to be penalized for PSR breaches after Everton lost 10 points in November, which was reduced to six on appeal. Forest’s hearing happened on 7 and 8 March, but their appeal must be concluded no later than May 24, which is five days after the final day of this season according to the league’s rules.

Nottingham Forest has been winless in their last five Premier League matches, with Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Luton Town the only time they have avoided defeat since beating Aston Villa 2-1 in February.

They will face three London clubs immediately after the international break with a home game against Crystal Palace at City Ground on March 30 and Fulham at the same ground on April 4, while they travel to Tottenham Hotspur after that.

The Premier League released an official statement on the points deductions hours later.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu