sport news PETER REID INTERVIEW: Everton legend on his Goodison Park wish, his former ... trends now

Peter Reid is limbering up in his garden for the battle ahead. 'I'm doing the warrior and the cobra,' he says. 'But I'm giving the downward dog a miss.'

Even in yoga, there can be no connotations of relegation in the Reid household this weekend.

The immediate battle is for the 67-year-old former Everton midfielder to get his creaking knees moved into position but his mind is firmly on his old club's crucial game with Nottingham Forest.

'This is the biggest game in the club's history,' says Reid without fear of over statement. 'Andy Gray rang me the other day and said 'look at these fixtures coming up... Forest, Liverpool, Brentford, Luton, Sheffield United. If we get a run together, it's all in our hands.'

'But I've learnt from experience, as a manager and a player, that the next game is always the biggest. Put all your mental focus into what's immediately in front of you. This is a massive football match, just look at the table.'

One point separates Everton and Forest as they stand on the precipice of the relegation places.

Both handicapped by controversial points deductions, there is a shared sense of injustice at the penalties placed upon them by the Premier League for breaching profit and sustainability rules. Appeals are pending so, subsequently, are their true league positions. It all adds to the heightened sense of uncertainty.

Reid rolls away his grey yoga mat, it's time to get serious.

'It's unfair, unbalanced, unbelievable,' he says, getting more animated. 'I speak to a lot of the fans, even Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, and I'm not sure anyone can get their heads round how the Premier League come to these decisions. It definitely needs greater transparency because it's confusing the life out of supporters and clubs alike.

'We have seen four different panels each come up with different findings for how they determine Everton's punishment and there's another two hearings to come after the season. It's crazy.

'If you break the rules then it should just be a financial penalty. The problem you have with points deductions is the knock-on effect. If a club goes down because of it, you're risking job losses not just at the football club but in the community. Everton have a massive impact on the local community and these decisions made by people miles away from the area put that at risk.

'We are building a new stadium, with great cost implications, but employing local people. The stadium has been earmarked for Euro 2028 by UEFA, that's a flagship tournament for the country. Governments have found ways of helping other clubs with new stadiums so why can't they help us? The Premier League should be looking to help too not hinder.

'You have six clubs there who went to speak about leaving and forming a European Super League, why are there no consequences for them? It doesn't stack up. The Premier League have been pushing back against the idea of an independent regulator but what do they expect? There's no balance to the decisions they are making.'

Of course, Reid isn't naive enough to suggest Everton's problems are solely down to the whims of the game's bureaucrats.

Indeed, Everton's position is all the more precarious following their abject performance at Chelsea last Monday, perpetuating a run of one win in 15 games.

Reid watched the 6-0 drubbing from a bar in Majorca with his younger brother, former Rochdale midfielder, Shaun. It was enough to drive any Evertonian to drink.

'I needed a few Guinness watching that. You can't always play your best but at least try and make it difficult for the opposition,' he says. 'The fans were giving them great support at Chelsea and the players let them down. It's the fans who have been the main instigators for the last few survival fights but they are tired of it. The players need to give them something back.'

Also looking on at Stamford Bridge was majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri. It was a rare appearance and maybe his last as Everton owner. Flanked by prospective buyers from 777 Partners, at least he could witness the sorry shambles Everton have become on his watch. Moshiri has stayed away from Goodison Park since November when the club marked the passing of long-time chairman and Reid's friend Bill Kenwright.

Reid says it would be 'toxic' if Anglo-Iranian businessman Moshiri returned to Goodison such is the

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