CLUBS TAKING A NEUTRAL STANCE

TOP-FLIGHT clubs will ask the Premier League to ditch plans to stage games at neutral venues when the season resumes on June 17.

League bosses will hold a board meeting with all 20 clubs today to discuss a range of issues regarding the final phase of Project Restart.

A small number of the 92 remaining fixtures had been identified as ‘high risk’ by police due to fears about large gatherings outside stadiums that would break social distancing guidelines.

But Premier League clubs believe it would be unfair for certain teams to have to play at neutral venues, on top of those games being staged behind closed doors as well.

Clubs are also increasingly confident that fans will adhere to social distancing measures following a host of appeals – and want the League to allow all matches to take place home and away as planned.

Police forces will look at the final proposed fixture list before recommending which games might have to be moved, including the Merseyside derby on the weekend of June 20-21.

Other issues on the agenda include formulating a contingency plan should the season have to be curtailed if there was a second wave of the coronavirus.

The League are keen to decide the final standings on an unweighted points-per-game system, as adopted by the EFL, but at least two clubs remain against the idea.

Clubs will also be asked about plans for transporting squads to away matches if the journey is more than 175 miles.

League chief executive Richard Masters (inset) will warn clubs that any delay to Project Restart would cost them an extra £35m a week in broadcasting rebates.