Premier League clubs to vote on next steps
Teams still hopeful of games resuming in June • Solskjaer: Pogba, Rashford available for Man United
MANCHESTER (Reuters) – Premier League clubs will vote on Wednesday over whether to move to the second phase of “Project Restart” as they intensify efforts to return to full action.
Clubs began training in small groups last week under strict limitations and no contact, but Wednesday’s meeting opens the door to a return toward contact training.
Phase Two, if approved, would allow up to 10 players to work together and would ease the time restrictions on training sessions and allow players to be closer.
It would then be hoped to move to a more typical form of training in the third phase in the build-up to actual games.
The league was consulting with players and managers on Tuesday and then plans to hold a vote on the next step during a conference call on Wednesday.
All plans remain contingent on the number of players testing positive for coronavirus staying low. The second round of testing returned two positives – with Bournemouth saying one of its players was now self-isolating. The first batch returned six cases.
NoPremiershipmatcheshavebeenplayed since March, but the government has given the green light for elite sport to resume from June 1, including top-flight soccer.
The league had signaled June 12 as a potential start date, but it now looks likely to be much later in the month.
On Thursday the shareholders will discuss the business aspects of Project Restart, including a possible broadcast rebate and what to do if the season has to be curtailed.
Once games do restart, they will be held behind closed-doors but the league has yet to decide whether they will be played in the normal home and away fashion or at neutral venues.
Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford have recovered from their injuries and will be available for the restart of the season.
Pogba, who underwent foot surgery in January, and Rashford, who suffered a back injury during an FA Cup third-round clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, were expected to miss the rest of the campaign.
“They’re looking good, they’ve joined training now and they’ve done everything the other boys have been doing. No reaction so far, touch wood,” said Solskjaer.
“When we get started, it looks like we can have a full squad to choose from.”
Solskjaer is also hoping to keep striker Odion Ighalo until the end of the season. Ighalo’s loan move from Shanghai Shenhua is set to end on May 31.
“We’re in dialogue. They’ve been great towards us, his club, and allowed him to play for his dream club,” the Norwegian added. “Hopefully he can finish off what he started, hopefully with a trophy for us. At the moment, nothing has been agreed. Their league is going to get started soon so we’re just waiting to see.”
Manchester United sits fifth, three points behind fourth-place Chelsea and a further five points behind Leicester City, in third. Liverpool is 25 points clear of second-place Manchester City and two wins from it first top-flight title since 1990.