Thousands of Everton fans have held anti-Premier League protests after the club received a 10-point deduction for breaching financial rules.
The Toffees host Manchester United on Sunday in their first match since being handed the biggest sporting sanction in the competition’s history.
Supporters marched to Goodison Park in protest at the scale of the punishment.
The club has said they will appeal against the sanction and have until next week to make it formal.
English top-flight clubs are permitted to lose £105 million over three years, and an independent commission found Everton’s losses to 2021–22 amounted to £124.5 million.
Prior to being docked points, Everton were 14th in the table but dropped down to 19th, with only a goal difference keeping them ahead of bottom side Burnley.
A fans’ group, The 1878s, has since raised more than £40,000 through crowdfunding for material, with its feeling of injustice being firmly pointed towards the Premier League.
Fans gathered in huge numbers outside a nearby pub on County Road, which was closed to traffic, about half an hour before kick-off.
Some climbed on bus stops to wave flags, while others waved blue smoke bombs, before the crowd slowly made their way towards Goodison Park.
Cards were handed out around the stadium with the word ‘corrupt’ printed underneath the Premier League logo, with fans expected to hold up the cards and jeer the top-flight anthem before kick-off.
Inside the ground, a number of new banners were installed in the stands, some of which read ‘Premier League, hang your heads in shame’ and ‘we shall not be moved’.
In a pre-planned move, supporters vented their feelings in the 10th minute of the match with chants against the Premier League. A number of fireworks were also let off outside the ground.
Aware of the 16:30 GMT kick-off time for Sunday’s game, the 1878 group paid for a plane to be flown over Etihad Stadium in the Saturday lunchtime match between Manchester City and Liverpool, which trailed a banner saying ‘Premier League = corrupt’.
