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Will Liverpool have a chance to end their long wait for Premier league title or there will always be an asterisk against a season that remains unfinished due to coronavirus?
Premier League stakeholders meet on Friday to discuss the way forward, with widespread speculation about a possible restart on June 8.
With the Dutch Eredivisie already canceled and the Belgian season at stake, there have been calls for the English top flight to draw a line under the season.
But the clubs remain committed to ending the 2019/20 campaign and there are compelling financial and legal ramifications to play the remaining 92 games.
Find a way to end
Since the Premier League was suspended on March 13, English clubs have had a steamy time, with controversies over salary cuts and players who violate social distancing rules that tarnish the brand.
Refocusing on soccer would be a welcome boost for the league, as well as fans who would embrace the fun offered by the return of games.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, said last week that completing the seasons remained the “ideal setting.”
If that’s not possible, leagues were urged to find ways to restart “in a different format,” which could mean tie-breaks in some cases.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reportedly been briefed on a possible plan for matches to be played behind closed doors.
And in a sign that Premier League teams are preparing for a possible return to action, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham and Brighton have allowed the players to return to individual training.
“I think the Premier League may end,” Los Lobos winger Diogo Jota told BBC Sport.
“Although some leagues may end immediately, others may start earlier. I know that almost every country in the world has the Premier League as one of the leagues to watch, so it is important that we can finish the season.”
As manager of the Dutch club Den Haag, who got rid of the relegation, former Newcastle and Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has a unique perspective on the matter.
He believes that the English top tier will be played to the end to avoid costly court battles.
“The television rights situation is much more problematic in the Premier League. If you bring the same model (as the Netherlands) you will end up with big court cases,” Pardew told the Daily Mail.
“From the managers, presidents, and CEOs I’ve spoken to in the Premier League, it seems like they’re determined to end the season, subject to the government’s permission.”
Cancel it
Given the devastating loss of life and economic damage caused by the virus, making sport a priority is a controversial move.
The clubs cannot guarantee the safety of the players and fear has been expressed that even if the matches take place behind closed doors, fans could gather outside stadiums, breaking the rules of social distancing.
Former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp said there was little point in playing in July or August and delaying next season.
“If the season is not completed by the end of June, we should analyze the options and wait for the next season,” he said.
If this season can’t end, then the thorny issue of how to decide the title themes, European locations, and relegation will have to be resolved.
The void option would be the end of the world scenario and is sure to enrage clubs and fans, with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool on the brink of their first league title since 1990.
Manchester United, Wolves, Sheffield United and Tottenham, all currently outside the top four, would surely claim that they had been unfairly denied the opportunity to qualify for the Champions League.
Aston Villa would be relegated along with Norwich and Bournemouth, but Dean Smith’s Villa could signal the game at hand that could have elevated Watford to safety.
