CHERRIES’ Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest have been docked four points for breaching Premier League financial rules.

The deduction drops Forest into the Premier League’s relegation zone, leaving them 18th with nine games to play.

That now means 14 points separate Cherries from the bottom three, with the Dorset club also enjoying a game in hand over the Tricky Trees.

The Premier League said Forest admitted breaching profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) by £34.5million above their permitted threshold of £61million.

Clubs are usually allowed maximum losses of £105million over a three-year assessment period but this is reduced by £22million per season for any seasons within the period spent in the Championship.

Cherries and Forest both won promotion from the Championship in the same season of 2021-22, the former going up automatically in second with the latter play-off winners.

Forest have 14 days to notify the Premier League whether they intend to appeal the decision.

So far this season, Everton have already been deducted 10 points, reduced to six after a successful appeal by the Toffees.

However, the Merseyside outfit are expected to receive another charge in the coming weeks.

Cherries welcome Everton to Vitality Stadium in their next game, on Saturday, March 30.