More football-related Coronavirus news rumbling through today as the UK Government allow for elite sports to return, behind closed doors, from June 1st. This was set out in their plan to phase in an easing of Coronavirus restrictions in the UK and effectively gives the Premier League the green light to restart on June 12 as requested.
In much more significant news, Martyn Ziegler of the times today tweeted that the FA would NOT sanction any voiding of the season – nor would they sanction relegation from the Premier League being scrapped.
The Premier League, whose shareholders met again today, have alluded to the idea that they would be requesting from the Government permission to play games in the normal grounds of each team, not in neutral venues. They will meet the Sports Minister tomorrow (Tuesday) – From their statement;
“Obviously it is the preference of all our clubs to play at home if at all possible, it is an ongoing dialogue and we’ve been talking to the authorities about the conditions in which we could get the Premier League back up and running and are taking all that advice on board.”
So, just to summarise:
- Govt give green light for Premier League Resumption.
- FA Chairman tells Premier League meeting that voiding the season or scrapping relegation is OFF the table.
- Premier League to request that games be played in normal venues.
- All Premier League clubs committed to completing season.
It really is looking more and more inevitable that if the league can’t be completed then Liverpool would be handed the title. Our best guess, though, is that it will eventually be completed behind closed doors.
#YNWA
