June 2020

The Premier League has confirmed there is one new positive case in their latest round of coronavirus testing.

The results were from the seventh round, in which 1213 players and club staff were tested on Monday and Tuesday.

The first six rounds of COVID-19 testing returned 13 positives and 6,261 negatives.

Testing will continue this week with the next batch of results expected to be published on Saturday.

COVID-19 impact on football

March 5 - Pre-match handshakes banned in the Premier League.
March 11 - Man City vs Arsenal is first Premier League game suspended; Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid the last top level game played in England.
March 12 - Man Utd, Wolves play away Europa League ties behind closed doors, Rangers host Bayer Leverkusen in front of fans.
March 13 - Football suspended following an emergency meeting between PL, FA, EFL and WSL
April 15 - SPFL clubs approve plan to end the Scottish Championship, League One and league Two seasons.
May 15 - League Two clubs vote to end the season with immediate effect.
May 17 - Premier League players and staff tested for COVID-19.
May 18 - Scottish Premiership curtailed, with points per game determining league positions and Celtic named champions.
May 19 - Premier League clubs return to socially distanced group training.
May 25 - Women's Super League cancelled, with title and relegation to be determined.
May 27 - Premier League clubs vote to resume contact training.

Top-flight action in England is scheduled to resume on June 17, when Aston Villa play Sheffield United and Manchester City face Arsenal.

Manchester United were forced to cancel a friendly with Stoke at the last minute on Tuesday after the Championship side's manager Michael O'Neill tested positive for COVID-19.

The sides were due to meet at United's Carrington training centre but the match was immediately abandoned without kicking a ball when the Northern Irishman tested positive, with United insisting none of their squad came into contact with him.

'Results taken with great heart'

Sky Sports News reporter Geraint Hughes:

'Cautious optimism is how all of these test results have been viewed because they have to analysed individually and collectively.

'But out of 7,487 tests conducted there have been 14 positive returns, that's roughly 0.2 per cent, so an encouraging sign again.

'Given the return of the Premier League is a week away, having just two positives from the previous four rounds of testing will be taken with great heart, not only by the Premier League but by Public Health England and the government.'

PL clubs to vote on matchday numbers

Premier League clubs will hold a vote on Wednesday on proposals to limit the number of players and staff who can attend matches.

All 20 clubs have spent the last week considering a number of pre-match protocols on accommodation and travel to away games, which are expected to be agreed during Wednesday's video conference call.

The meeting will provide the last chance for a number of key issues to be resolved, with top clubs lobbying hard for their ever-increasing backroom staff to be allowed to attend away games.

Some top clubs travel with more than 60 staff and club directors in tow, including masseurs, up to three specialist goalkeeping coaches and security guards.

However, the Premier League is keen to trim numbers to all but essential staff on matchdays to just 37 'Red Zone' pass holders per team, including 20 players, 12 coaching and medical staff and five 'essential' members of staff.

Staff not needed pitchside, such as analysts will be allowed in the amber zone, with all others - including security, big screen operators and parking staff - in the green zone.

Total numbers at matches including broadcast staff, written media, commentators, doping officials and scouts will total 300.

Merseyside derby gets Goodison go-ahead

The Merseyside derby will go ahead on June 21 at Goodison Park behind closed doors, and not at a neutral venue, it has been confirmed.

The ground safety advisory group at Liverpool City Council met on Wednesday and has approved a safety certificate to allow the match to go ahead at Everton's home ground.

Discussions were also held between the Council and Merseyside Police, Liverpool and Everton football clubs as well as the Spirit of Shankly and Blue Union supporters groups, regarding the fulfilment of public health protocols for the match.

The fixture was previously on a list of games which had been requested by local police forces to be played at a neutral venue amid public health fears, due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the UK's football police lead Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts.

In the initial round of Premier League fixtures published last Friday, the venue was marked as 'TBC' but all matches in the top flight's restart confirmed so far been given the all-clear to be played at usual home venues.

Liverpool, who currently hold a 25-point lead ahead of second-placed Manchester City, could seal the title with victory at Goodison Park, if Pep Guardiola's side are beaten by Arsenal on June 17.