Everton could be facing another costly punishment for breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.

The competition has referred both Everton and Nottingham Forest to an independent commission after breaching its profitability and sustainability regulations.

The league’s rules allow clubs to lose a maximum of £105 million ($A200 million) over a three-year period or face sanctions.

The teams could be punished with a fine or a points deduction, applied this season as part of a fast-tracked process.

Everton have already received a record 10-point deduction for overspending in the three-year period to the end of the 2021-22 season. The club has appealed against the severity of that punishment, which plunged the team from Merseyside back into relegation danger.

Everton, a top-division club since 1954, are currently fourth-to-last in the standings, one point and one spot above the relegation zone. Forest are 15th, four points above the bottom three.

Everton responded to this latest charge by saying that there was a “clear deficiency in the Premier League’s rules.”

“The club must now defend another Premier League complaint which includes the very same financial periods for which it has already been sanctioned, before that appeal has even been heard,” Everton said in a statement.

“Everton can assure its fans that it will continue to defend its position during the ongoing appeal and, should it be required to do so, at any future commission — and that the impact on supporters will be reflected as part of that process.”

Forest’s charge comes after a 2022-23 season — their first back in the Premier League after a 23-year absence — when the club made an unprecedented 21 close-season signings having previously spent heavily in the second-tier to get promoted.

“The club intends to continue to cooperate fully with the Premier League on this matter and are confident of a speedy and fair resolution,” Forest said in a statement.

Manchester City are currently in a legal fight with the Premier League after the competition accused the English and European champions of 115 charges relating to breaches of its financial rules from 2009-18 and an alleged failure to co-operate with the investigation.

The outcome of City’s case isn’t expected to be known for many months because of the number and complexity of charges.