Everton legend tells Toffess to 'suck it up' after points deduction that could help save Sheffield United

One of Everton's most heralded former players has called on everyone at the club to 'suck it up' after the Premier League sent the Toffees into a relegation fight by handed out a 10-point deduction.

The club have already stated that they will appeal the verdict, however legendary goalkeeper Neville Southall says they should just accept the punishment, put it in the past and concentrate on staying up, which he believes they could achieve.

Southall said an appeal will 'just push it further down the road' and he suggests that a rallying effect from the judgement and the lack of quality in the bottom half of the table means they can survive in the top flight and put the matter to bed.

“All we’ve got to do is galvanise the players, the manager and the fans into one, which will be a good thing for them,” he told BBC Radio Five Live. “They must appeal because that’s what everyone does. It will go on until after Christmas, which will just push it further down the road.

“If I was them now I would go ‘fair enough, let’s take it now and let’s finish with it’. They’re playing well, they’re doing OK, so there’s no reason why they can’t.

“The Premier League isn’t a great league from the bottom half down so they’ve got half a chance of winning that half of the league. It sounds harsh and it sounds horrendous, but if you broke the rules you broke the rules and you’ve got to suck it up and say ‘fair enough’.

“You can look at the argument about other clubs, but at the end of the day you look after your own business and if you’ve done it you’ve done it.”

Everton are now one place off the bottom of the table, behind Sheffield United, whose own battle to stay in the division has been boosted by the points deduction. The Blades are now just one point away from pulling out of the relegation zone and in 18th-place.