I wrote before the game started when I saw the team sheet that it must be deliberate.
I was thinking "tax write-off", but this would fit.
If something like this is the case, the PL were indeed right in not thinking him a fit an proper person, and then would come into question as to whether we can be accused of throwing games.
The point then comes if you start thinking "betting syndicate", and then everything jumps to a whole higher level of seriousness......