EPL meet to discuss how to safely restart game
Liverpool could be denied the opportunity to seal the Premier League title at Anfield if public health concerns are factored into where the final matches of the 2019-20 season are played.
Top-flight clubs were due to hold further talks on how the season can be restarted amidthecoronaviruspandemic at a shareholders' meeting on Friday.
Part of the 'Project Restart' discussions will centre around the use of approved venues, which may mean teams playing on neutral grounds and immediately throws up questions over competition integrity.
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber says being unable to play all games home andawayasplannedwouldbe a "further imperfection" on top of the already accepted imperfection of playing behind closed doors.
The UK's national football policing lead Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts told the PA news agency on Wednesday that playing all the remaining matches at their original venues would "present challenges" to the emergency services already stretched by the Covid-19 outbreak.
There would be particular pressure points from a health and public order perspective on a match where the league title or another season-defining issue was on the line, because of the potential for mass gatherings of supporters. DCC Roberts said that will be in the league's thinking.
Regular testing is another key part of the restart plans both at the Premier League and EFL level, along with contract situations and when it is safe for clubs to resume training.