The 2019-20 Premier League season will resume on June 17, British media reported on Thursday.
In the league’s first two games since the mid-March suspension, Aston Villa will host Sheffield United with Arsenal making the journey to Manchester City. The first full round of games will begin on June 20, according to the report, with the season set to finish on August 1.
The Telegraph revealed that most of the 20 Premier League clubs agreed on the schedule at a meeting on Thursday.
Liverpool should be the happiest about the news. The Reds lead the table with 82 points and need just two wins to pocket their first top-flight title since the Premier League began in 1992.
According to the Daily Mail, British police have suggested that higher-profile games are played at neutral stadiums while others could take place at the clubs’ home stadiums, for public health concerns.
The police might have a point. Joe Anderson, mayor of Liverpool, earlier warned that fans would likely still go to the stadiums even if the games take place behind closed doors. “Even if it was behind closed doors, there’d be many thousands of people who would turn up outside Anfield.”
Premier League soccer clubs already voted unanimously to return to contact training, including tackling.
Failure to resume the season could cost the league around 750 million pounds ($921.75 million) in lost revenue from broadcasters according to British media estimates.
Clubs last week began the first phase of ‘Project Restart’ after agreeing to a return to training in small groups under strict limitations and no contact.
The announcement that Phase Two can commence followed 1,744 tests on players and staff for coronavirus which produced eight positives, including Watford defender Adrian Mariappa and Bournemouth keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
A third round of testing took place on Monday and Tuesday with another four positives, the Premier League said.
No matches have been played in the Premier League since March when the coronavirus pandemic shut down world sport.
