Warning that season could yet have to be curtailed

PREMIER League chief Richard Masters has admitted this season could still be curtailed due to the coronavirus.

Leicester are confident their final three Premier League home games will go ahead despite the city’s local lockdown, including their clash with United on the last weekend of July.

The city accounted for 10 per cent of all nationwide positive tests over the past week

Speaking to the House of Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Masters said the Premier League is in a position to handle localised lockdowns, but may not be able to cope with another national one.

And he admitted if there is another spike in the virus, the season is not completed.

“There’s always that possibility, yes,” he said.

“We’re dependent on the course of the virus and the government’s decisions in response to that.

“Obviously we’re cautiously optimistic and what’s happened in Leicester is something we’re responding to now.

“We’ve been planning for quite a long period of time to adapt to a neutral venues model if necessary for a variety of different reasons.

“I think we can clearly cope with the situation in Leicester.

“If it means the club can’t play its home games for the foreseeable future or just this weekend, we can adapt to that.

“But if that were to happen in multiple areas or the course of the virus creates other risks then obviously there’s that risk that we can’t complete the season.

“We’ve got to get through to the end of July, complete our 380 games and look cautiously optimistic to season 20/21 - set a start date, work with the other football bodies to create a calendar which works for all, then keep our fingers crossed that we can get fans back into the stadium and recover the economy.

“That’s the plan but, as you know, that’s all dependent on the course of the virus.

“We’ve shown our flexibility to that and have to operate within government guidelines.”