London
British Police want at least six Premier League matches and any Liverpool title clincher to be played at neutral venues when the season resumes in a bid to avoid supporters gathering outside stadiums.
Premier League chiefs have set June 17 as the date for the top flight to restart following the coronavirus delay.
They hope to play the majority of the matches behind closed doors on a home and away basis at clubs’ usual stadiums. However, police are concerned about the issue of hardcore fans potentially flouting social distancing rules by congregating wherever their team play.
With Liverpool two wins away from clinching their first English title for 30 years and other relegation and European qualification issues to be decided in the remaining 92 fixtures, there is potential for police resources to be stretched if matches draw crowds outside grounds.
Police bosses have spoken to the Premier League about games they consider especially tricky and the matches they requested to take place at neutral grounds are Manchester City v Liverpool, Manchester City v Newcastle, Manchester United v Sheffield United, Newcastle v Liverpool and Everton v Liverpool.
“Our discussions with the Premier League throughout this process have been positive, with a shared focus on the priority of public health,” said Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts of South Yorkshire Police.
“As such we have reached a consensus that balances the needs of football, while also minimising the demand on policing. “The majority of remaining matches will be played, at home and away as scheduled, with a small number of fixtures taking place at neutral venues, which, contrary to some reports, have yet to be agreed.”
Liverpool could even clinch the title as early as the first weekend of the restart if Manchester City lose to Arsenal and they beat Everton.
The police statement added that “the game in which Liverpool could secure the league title” should also be moved, although that may end up needing to be more than one match if the Reds did not clinch it at the first attempt.
There had been complaints from some clubs towards the bottom of the table, including Brighton, about the impact of playing at neutral venues on sporting integrity.
Individual police forces were asked which games concerned them and clubs will hold further discussions on whether to proceed with the season on this basis when they meet again on June 4.
Other games that could be moved reportedly include Tottenham v West Ham, Liverpool v Crystal Palace, West Ham v Chelsea, Liverpool v Aston Villa, Crystal Palace v Chelsea, Liverpool v Burnley, Tottenham v Arsenal, Liverpool v Chelsea and Crystal Palace v Tottenham.
It has not yet been decided where neutral games would be staged. “The views and agreement of forces which host Premier League clubs have been sought and where there were concerns, the Premier League has been supportive in providing flexibility in arranging alternative venues where requested,” Roberts said.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said on Friday that fans could be allowed to attend top-flight matches in the 2020-21 season on a “phased basis”.
The Premier League plans to resume the 2019-20 campaign on June 17 following the coronavirus lockdown.
But the remaining 92 fixtures will be played behind closed doors to minimise the health risks of football’s return in a country badly hit by the pandemic.
The prospect of playing the next season with no fans is unappetising for the Premier League and Masters suggested it could be possible to being back supporters at some stage.
“No one knows when matches will move away from the behind-closed-doors model and it is right to have contingency plans in place, but there is optimism at the Premier League and at clubs that we will see fans back in the stadiums next season and it may happen on a phased basis,” Masters told Sky Sports News.
“Hopefully it will be a huge morale boost and that is what we’ve been working towards.
“We’ve got some incredible fans in this country and we all know the Premier League as we know and love it won’t be fully back until we have fans back through the turnstiles.”
The biggest concern for ‘Project Restart’ is another wave of the virus, which could lead to the competition being suspended again.
With that in mind, Masters said it was crucial clubs agreed on a plan for what would happen if the season had to end early before games resume.
But he would not be drawn on whether an unweighted points-per-game model would be used in decide the final table in the event of the season being abandoned.
“We need to have plans in place so that we go into the start of the season knowing that if it can’t be completed, what then happens,” Masters said. “(But) I’m not going to give away any of the details of the private discussions we are having with our clubs.—AFP
