Everton should accept their 10-point deduction by the Premier League and use it as fuel to avoid relegation, according to former title-winning keeper Neville Southall.
The Merseyside club was docked points with immediate effect on Friday after being found to have breached profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) relating to losses.
It means Sean Dyche’s side dropped to second from bottom with four points, above only Burnley on goal difference.
“All it will do is galvanise the players, the manager and the fans into one, which is a good thing, but they must appeal as that is what everyone does,” Southall told the BBC.
“However, if I was them I would just take it and get it out of the way. They are playing well and the Premier League is not a great league from the bottom half down, so we have a chance of winning that little bit of a league.
“It sounds harsh and horrendous but if you broke the rules, you broke the rules — just suck it up.”
Everton described the decision as unjust and said it would appeal, adding that they would “monitor with great interest” the decisions made in other cases relating to the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.