Everton are in dire need of some positivity after a week that has taken a lot out of the staff and fanbase.

Fortunately, international duty has kept the players at arm’s length for now, but upon their return there is expected to be a firestorm inside Goodison Park as they welcome Manchester United this Sunday.

Seeking to rise out of the relegation zone again with a win, leapfrogging a Luton Town side that they were previously eight points clear of, Sean Dyche will be gearing his team up with a siege mentality that can feed off the energy sure to be produced inside Goodison Park.

Similarly, off the pitch, the fight still goes on.

Speedily after Friday’s announcement of the points deduction, the Toffees released a club statement outlining their well-founded intention to appeal the ten-point penalty issued for their sole financial breach.

Now, speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, journalist and expert Nick Harris has given his verdict on the likelihood they will succeed in that challenge.

“They will appeal,” he declared, addressing Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker.

They’ve said that they are shocked and disappointed and don’t really understand the verdict, so they’re definitely going to appeal.

It’ll be in front of another panel, as you say, and the key issues for them will be these bits of expenditure that they want deducted.