ALL SYSTEMS GO!
Premier League restart gathers pace as Government backs close-contact training Championship clubs will return today after just two positive tests
THE Premier League and Football League have been given the go-ahead by the Government to accelerate plans to complete their seasons.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have released phase two of their ‘elite sport returning to training guidance’ which enables competitive and close-contact training.
And in a further boost, the EFL’s hopes of finishing the Championship season improved yesterday after they confirmed just two individuals — both from Hull City — had tested positive from 1,014 coronavirus tests.
The developments mean it is full steam ahead for English football’s top two divisions to complete their campaigns at the beginning of a key week for Project Restart.
Managers and players are due to meet Premier League officials to discuss the phase two protocols tomorrow, with clubs voting on whether to move to the next stage of training on Wednesday.
On Thursday, there is another meeting of clubs to discuss plans for any curtailment of the season and the contentious issue of
places over a weighted model had been expected to dominate Thursday’s meetings, the return of the neutral venues debate provides another potential source of disagreement. The proposal to play all 92 games at neutral stadiums came close to killing Project Restart in its infancy last month before Spurs and Chelsea led a revolt with the bottom six to force a rethink, accepted by the Government. Sportsmail can reveal that the Premier League are now considering a hybrid model in which a handful of games move to neutral venues to allay public order concerns. While the majority of games would be at home grounds, certain high-risk matches — such as Liverpool’s next two games, the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park and Crystal Palace at Anfield, which could see them win the title — would be switched to reduce the risk of fans congregating, and any flare-ups. Other clubs could be affected. The Metropolitan Police may not sanction Arsenal’s visit to Tottenham or Chelsea’s trip across the capital to West Ham given the enmity between the clubs’ fans, while Wolves’ visit to Sheffield United could attract a crowd given its i impact t on E European places. l This Thi model presents question marks over the competition’s integrity, but could be accepted as a compromise. By maintaining the majority of home matches clubs could protect commercial income, while alleviating fears of mass gatherings. Each club contacted by Sportsmail yesterday said they would study the proposals before deciding, but did not dismiss it. As well as voting on the broadcasting settlement clubs will discuss how to punish breaches of the Government-approved training protocols, and whether to extend support to the EFL beyond existing solidarity and parachute payments.