The Premier League is working on a plan to restart the season behind closed doors on the first weekend of May with a scheduled finish date of Sunday July 12 - or pay a £762m penalty.
The proposals will be discussed in a conference call between all 20 clubs this
Friday, and whatever they come up with to get around the coronavirus crisis will have to be approved by the UK government, public health bodies and the PFA.
The best-case scenario of a May resumption comes as the league scrambles to fulfil its obligations to broadcasters, who have deals worth £3bn-a-year which expires on July 31, with next
season’s deal kicking in the following day.
Under the terms of the TV contracts the cut-off point to finish this season is July 16, and if the campaign is not completed by that date Sky Sports, BT Sport and the international rights-holders could demand rebates totalling as much as £762m.
The broadcasters are pushing the Premier League to provide clarity as soon as possible, as they are losing subscribers and want to know when they can expect their schedules to return to
normal.
It remains unclear whether the new timetable is realistic amid a global pandemic given that UK medical chiefs warned on Sunday that the country could remain in varying degrees of lockdown for up to six months.
If given the go-ahead, matches would be staged with a skeleton broadcasting crew, minimal security and no media, although an ambulance presence would be required at the stadium.
RIVALRY: Merseyside derby
If action resumes, it will do so with some hot fixtures, with
Manchester United travelling to Tottenham, while Everton will host Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
Manchester City hosting
Arsenal is another fixture that was postponed even before the coronavirus shutdown, when Gunners boss Mikel Arteta tested positive.