EPL’s plan to save the season

Restrictions on English Premier League squads could be lifted as part of emergency measures to help clubs finish the season.

Dusk falls over The Paisley Gates at Anfield, the home Liverpool Football Club, whose fans have been waiting to see if the club will be named champions

Restrictions on English Premier League squads could be lifted as part of emergency measures to help clubs finish the season.

The proposal is one of several likely to be discussed at the EPL’s next meeting, which will be held via conference call on Friday, as owners consider ways to conclude the 2019-20 campaign.

There is acceptance that the present plan to resume after April 30 will be impossible to implement because of the pandemic and that the “best-case scenario” — in the words of one chairman — is a resumption at the start of June, leaving teams six weeks to complete their remaining nine or ten fixtures by July 16. This is regarded as a significant deadline because it is when the present season’s broadcast contracts run to.

Packing so many fixtures — and crucial ones — into a short space of time will tax players, raising the chances of injuries. It is also possible that some players would still be self-isolating or falling ill to COVID-19.

Relaxing the rules governing squads could help teams cope with that.

At present, EPL squads are limited to 25 players, eight of whom must be homegrown, though an unlimited number of homegrown under-21s can be used in addition. Lifting the quotas would allow clubs to use any “extra” players on their books not declared in their already-submitted squads of 25.

Clubs could also add to their numbers by hiring out-of-contract players, who can be registered at any time, and a further option would be to allow an early opening of the summer transfer window.

Owners are likely to weigh up several ideas as they take into account concerns raised by players and managers of cramming in matches — with the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League also potentially to be played out. Many teams would be likely to face a workload of three games per week.

Although certain clubs advocate voiding the whole season, it is understood the majority remain determined to conclude 2019-20 in the interests of fairness, integrity of the competition and to avoid defaulting on television and sponsorship deals.

Failure to complete the season could lead to clubs refunding almost £800 million to broadcasters, with different clubs facing different repayments. These range from about £20m to £60m, depending on broadcast income already received.

There is acceptance that completing fixtures in June is likely to involve closed-doors games though many clubs are uneasy about playing at all until the public health crisis is over, while one owner conceded a big issue is the need to have ambulances and medics at matches, at a time these could be more urgently needed by the NHS.

Should completion not be possible an alternative is a “curtailed” season, raising the possibility that the English Premier League could credibly conclude if it were able to play only two more games: Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal, the two fixtures postponed because of the Carabao Cup final.

Playing those would leave every team having completed the same number of matches (29), allowing the league to stop with finishing positions at the time of curtailment.

Liverpool would be champions, Norwich City and Bournemouth would be relegated and Aston Villa v Sheffield United would become a match of enormous significance, with Villa able to survive — at Watford’s expense — with a victory and United, if they won, finishing fifth and qualifying for the Champions League should the Court of Arbitration for Sport uphold Manchester City’s UEFA ban.

THE SUNDAY TIMES