Liverpool hero John Aldridge believes the Premier League targeted Everton over their 10 point penalty.
He wrote for the Liverpool Echo: "I don't really know to what extent Everton have done anything wrong. If you have done something wrong you've got to get penalised, but it has to be said - their punishment is excessive.
"The one thing I can say to Evertonians is that the team won't go down - they're too good even with the loss of 10 points.
"If it had happened last year they'd have been in trouble, but with how they're playing lately and with teams like Luton and Burnley in the division, there are about four or five who are nowhere near as good as Everton in my opinion. They will be pretty comfortable at the end of the season, I'm sure about that, but it puts undue pressure on them.
"Back to the punishment - to me Everton were a sitting duck. I don't know how you gauge it so I guess it all comes down to what happens in future. We've all seen what's gone on with Chelsea under Roman Abramovich or everything at Man City - 115 charges.
"Was it because the other teams have gone on to do well? The others are in the top six? Perhaps it's to do with Everton not having the money to fight it. City have got unlimited amounts, Chelsea have got unlimited amounts, so they've scared off the people who are trying to do them for years, delaying and delaying and delaying."