Season is void if we can’t carry on — Luke Shaw

The 2019/2020 Premier League season must be scrapped and declared null and void if it cannot restart due to the coronavirus pandemic, Manchester United’s Luke Shaw says.

The Premier League confirmed last week that the season, originally suspended until April 30, will not resume at the beginning of May and will return when the situation stabilises.

League leaders Liverpool needed six points to seal the title, while European spots and relegation candidates were still unclear with nine games to go, raising questions about how they would be decided if the season does not resume.

“Scrap it and start again,” Shaw said during the Combat Corona fundraiser for Unicef, a Fifa 20 competition that was streamed on Twitch. “If we can’t carry it on, it’s got to be void.”

Shaw was part of the event, which that also involved Gareth Bale, Paulo Dybala, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jordan Pickford and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. It raised about £17,000 through online donations.

Premier League clubs have mulled finishing the season by playing games without spectators, but Shaw said that was not a view he endorsed as fans filling up stadiums was crucial.

“Fans are so important. I think the sport is for fans really. If you don’t have fans, it just doesn’t feel right.

“Especially on match day, the fans are always amazing and always help the team. Whether it’s home or even away, our fans are always brilliant and I feel like they’re always there with us.”

United were three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea before the season was suspended.