‘It is a joke’… Abdoulaye Doucoure explains how Everton players reacted to  points deduction ‘injustice’

Everton players have done so well to not let all the turmoil surrounding their club stop them from completing the task at hand.

And yesterday, they finally earned a reward for those many months of hard work, removing relegation as a possibility to ensure next season, set to be Goodison Park’s final one, will be in the Premier League.

However, the division did its best to try and stop that from being the case, having administered two points deductions and dragged on 777 Partners’ takeover for eight months now.

Andy Burnham has already voiced his displeasure with the former, but now an actual player has offered his verdict on the PSR drama.

Abdoulaye Doucoure offers behind-the-scenes Everton insight

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, as relayed before the match yesterday on BBC Sport, Abdoulaye Doucoure offered his thoughts on the points deductions administered this season.

Left largely frustrated by the manner in which they came about, he actually offered a behind-the-scenes insight into how the players spoke about the outcome, thus explaining their buoyed reaction. The 31-year-old claimed: ‘We definitely feel the injustice from the Premier League to us.

‘But we said we just need to hit the ground running and win games. This sort of thing hurts but it is out of our control. We can only control what happens on the pitch. It makes the team connected.

‘We just said ‘Guys it is a joke’ and we have to play well and win games and move on. This season we have been hit by points deductions but last season was completely different in terms of the football.’

Everton players stood up after each deduction

To react so well after their first deduction, the Everton playing staff would have been forgiven for seeing all their hard work once again expunged as they were dealt a second one.

After all, whilst they lost the first game immediately after the ten-point penalty, they would they enjoy a four-game winning streak, expunging the sanction with remarkable urgency.

However, to be handed another two points on top of that earlier this month was a hammer blow, and provoked huge furore despite it being a far lesser punishment.

The principle remained though, as the injustice Doucoure speaks of remained rife.

Not only was this a second deduction in just one season, a landmark moment for the top flight, but it came after Everton had only just ended their worst-ever winless run in the club’s history by defeating Burnley.

Since then, despite a heavy defeat to Chelsea, they have beaten Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and now Brentford, all without conceding.

Another historic run of form at the perfect time. No longer can these players be accused of not turning up for the big moments.