The
majority of teams in the bottom half of the Premier League want relegation
scrapped if the 2019/20 season has to be curtailed amid the coronavirus
pandemic.
The Premier League season is due to restart on 17 June behind closed doors,
with all 20 clubs set to vote on what to do if the season has to be
curtailed at a shareholders' meeting on Thursday.
Top-flight officials are recommending a simple points-per-game formula to
work out league placings if the season has to be cancelled, for example, if
there is a second wave of coronavirus infections or a new lockdown enforced
by the UK government.
If that occurs, a team's points would be divided by the number of games they
have played, and league placings would be based on the average number of
points a team has earned per match.
One top-flight club owner says he would vote for scrapping relegation even
though the FA ruled it out last month.
"We would vote for no relegation if the season is curtailed," he said.
"There are up to 10 clubs who think the same thing."
The formula would be adopted and used in the future if a season has to be
finished early. The recommendation needs the support of 14 clubs in a vote
in order to be added to the Premier League's rules.
If the simple points-per-game method was used now, Liverpool would be
crowned champions and Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Norwich City would be
relegated.
EFL chairman Rick Parry has threatened legal action if there is no
relegation and promotion between the Premier League and the Championship,
claiming that there would be "outrage".
Sky Sports will show 64 live Premier League games. In addition to the 39
matches scheduled to be broadcast on Sky before the coronavirus
interruption, 25 more matches will be available on both Sky Sports Premier
League and Sky's free-to-air Pick channel.
Supplement: How could fans return to
football?
With reports saying the FA Cup final could be played in front of 20,000
fans, the Sunday Supplement panel discuss how supporters could return to the
stands.
In the revised football calendar, the showpiece final is now due to be held
at Wembley on August 1 and a report in the Mirror on Sunday says 10,000 fans
from each club could be present.
Elsewhere, there have also been reports leagues in Italy and Spain could
restart in front of socially distanced supporters, with stadiums around 20
per cent full.
Government allows sport to return from
June 1
The UK government has given the green light for live competitive sport to
return behind closed doors "in safe and carefully controlled environments"
from June 1.
Deputy Chief Medical Officers of England, Public Health England and medical
experts across Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports governing bodies
have contributed to the latest guidelines which have been revealed by the
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
It follows an update last Monday from the UK government which gave
permission for "close-contact and competitive" training to resume for all
sports.
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