Sir Jim Ratcliffe Cites Everton to Defend Controversial £171m Manchester United Decision.

Everton’s resurgence in the Premier League has put pressure on Manchester United in the standings.

Neither club has had the season they envisioned last summer, but under David Moyes, Everton’s trajectory has significantly improved.

Nearly two months into the 61-year-old’s tenure, the Toffees are unbeaten in eight Premier League matches—an achievement they haven’t managed in seven years.

With only one point separating Everton and United in the table, it’s a tight contest.

Off the pitch, Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes the clubs share similarities, particularly regarding financial constraints at Old Trafford.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe Compares Everton and Manchester United

Ruben Amorim was impressed by Goodison Park’s atmosphere when his side visited late last month.

The match ended in a draw, and Ratcliffe now suggests that United’s current wage bill, when adjusted for availability, is comparable to Everton’s.

Speaking on The Overlap, Ratcliffe highlighted the financial limitations affecting the squad Amorim will inherit.

“If you look at the salary bill of the players available to him [Amorim], it’s nowhere near that of Manchester City or Liverpool,” Ratcliffe stated. “It’s only a fraction of theirs.

If you factor in players who are unavailable due to injury or loans—Antony, Sancho, Rashford, Mount, and Shaw—the actual wage bill places us in the lower half of the table, alongside clubs like Nottingham Forest or Everton, not Manchester City.”

Ratcliffe has voiced concerns about United’s financial situation, but between the two clubs, it is Everton that has been hit hardest by Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Despite their struggles, United spent heavily last summer but find themselves in a worse position on the pitch.

This mismanagement is likely something the Friedkin Group, who are poised to take over Everton, will aim to avoid.

United’s Wage Bill Still Towers Over Everton’s

The public perception of these two clubs could not be more different at present.

Moyes has defied expectations, guiding Everton to significant improvement after replacing Sean Dyche. Conversely, United appear plagued by problems on and off the field.

Given this backdrop, Ratcliffe’s comparison of wage bills between United and Everton seems a major stretch.

Even if he argues that many of United’s highest-paid players are unavailable, it doesn’t account for the substantial spending spree the club embarked on last summer.

Furthermore, Moyes has also had to deal with key injuries at Everton, meaning financial constraints are not unique to United.

Considering how the Friedkins have approached their Everton takeover, it’s evident that the Toffees may have dodged a bullet by avoiding an ownership situation likeRatcliffe’s at United.