Coronavirus and Football (Plus all Sport in General)

[dom9]

[ame]https://twitter.com/MelissaReddy_/status/1266052652816912386[/ame]

[marcus50bucks]

Liverpool not expecting to play ANY home matches at neutral venues once season restarts

DAVID LYNCH in Liverpool 34 minutes ago

Liverpool do not expect to play any of their remaining Premier League home fixtures at neutral venues, Standard Sport understands.

On Thursday, it was revealed that the English top-flight's coronavirus-enforced shutdown will finally come to an end behind closed doors next month, with a provisional restart date of June 17 confirmed.

However, subsequent reports following that announcement suggested that the league leaders might be forced to contest some of their remaining games at neutral venues.

Having built up a 25-point lead over Manchester City, Liverpool were just two wins away from clinching a first league title in 30 years prior to the Covid-19 lockdown.

As such, games in which they might end that wait were said to have been deemed ‘high risk’, resulting from fears over fans potentially congregating outside to celebrate.

But Standard Sport understands that Liverpool have not engaged in any talks over contesting these games at neutral venues.

The Reds accept that extra discussion may be required around several Premier League matches following the restart, including derbies and other high-profile encounters.

However, they remain confident that Merseyside police chiefs and the Safety Advisory Group typically convened ahead of fixtures will be able to provide solutions.

Insiders are also baffled by suggestions that neutral venues would alleviate the concerns raised, given Liverpool's nationwide support.

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...-a4453756.html

[Fivex]

Probably one for the joke thread. Well it tickled me at least.


https://twitter.com/MarshInsight/sta...57960616275968

Obviously a Duncan Jenkins wannabe

[Mr Pink]

You can't have one rule for one and another rule for everyone else. It should be a level playing field. I hope we challenge this.

The only team ever to win the league, while having to play several fewer games at home, than everyone else [emoji119][emoji119][emoji119]
[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[Mr Pink]

Yeah there's a thousand more things to get angry about atm than which empty stadium we play a football game in.

Exactly!!

I do think it’s nonsense to make us play in neutral venues, but no one else- if they’re concerned about any team, they should just have all teams in neutral venues, even if just for the sake of avoiding controversy...

But..... who gives a ****!! FOOTBALL IS BACK!! such a good day, nothing’s gonna ruin this.. let’s bring home number 19!! [emoji119]

[Chris]

It's ****ing sick this, led by a South Yorkshire copper no less.

Simon Peach
@SimonPeach

The games to be played at neutral venues will be Manchester City v Liverpool, Manchester City v Newcastle, Manchester United v Sheffield United, Newcastle v Liverpool, Everton v Liverpool and the game in which Liverpool could secure the Premier League title

[Exiled_red]

It's ****ing sick this, led by a South Yorkshire copper no less.

Simon Peach
@SimonPeach

The games to be played at neutral venues will be Manchester City v Liverpool, Manchester City v Newcastle, Manchester United v Sheffield United, Newcastle v Liverpool, Everton v Liverpool and the game in which Liverpool could secure the Premier League title

Why those games

I can see the argument for the game in which we win the league, I can see the argument for the derby (particularly if City play before us and we can win the league in that one). Not sure I really get the reasons for any of the others, am I missing something?

[Chris]

**** knows, it's proper weird. Feels like they just added a few token games to say look it's not just Liverpool. Plenty of other clubs fans may have something to celebrate later this season yet none of their games are mentioned.

[Exiled_red]

**** knows, it's proper weird. Feels like they just added a few token games to say look it's not just Liverpool. Plenty of other clubs fans may have something to celebrate later this season yet none of their games are mentioned.

I was wondering if the Man Utd - Sheff Utd was because it's a potential battle between CL sides, but it's one of the earlier games on the fixture list so that doesn't add up.

Our game at Man City again could be a title winning game, are they worried Manchester is too close to Liverpool or are they worried City fans might do something not at all obvious.

I could understand the last game of the season for us (Newcastle) being played at a Neutral ground if it were a home game for us with the trophy being presented, but it's away in Newcastle almost as far away as we could play.

As for Man City Newcastle I can't think of any reason.

None of it makes any sense. If they are worried about fans celebrating that the sides who could stay up on would also be an issue (obviously they have raised the issue of neutral grounds being unfair already). They at least need to explain the reasoning.

[Irishnev]

It's ****ing sick this, led by a South Yorkshire copper no less.

Simon Peach
@SimonPeach

The games to be played at neutral venues will be Manchester City v Liverpool, Manchester City v Newcastle, Manchester United v Sheffield United, Newcastle v Liverpool, Everton v Liverpool and the game in which Liverpool could secure the Premier League title

I don’t agree with the neutral venues concept - in Germany they threatened to cancel games at v short notice if fans congregated outside the ground so the same approach should work in the PL?

Leaving that and emotion to the side surely the above fixtures are to our benefit? Potentially no home game impacted, not having to play at Goodison, The Eithiad or away to the Geordies surely is a good thing as a neutral venue impacts them also?

[Exiled_red]

I don’t agree with the neutral venues concept - in Germany they threatened to cancel games at v short notice if fans congregated outside the ground so the same approach should work in the PL?

Leaving that and emotion to the side surely the above fixtures are to our benefit? Potentially no home game impacted, not having to play at Goodison, The Eithiad or away to the Geordies surely is a good thing as a neutral venue impacts them also?

As you say it probably does benefit us, I just see no reason for doing it, I would prefer the games to be played out as normally as possible, obviously crowds aren't present but I would prefer them to be played at the correct venues.

[Kenneth]

I don’t agree with the neutral venues concept - in Germany they threatened to cancel games at v short notice if fans congregated outside the ground so the same approach should work in the PL?

Leaving that and emotion to the side surely the above fixtures are to our benefit? Potentially no home game impacted, not having to play at Goodison, The Eithiad or away to the Geordies surely is a good thing as a neutral venue impacts them also?

I think the neutral venues aspect is daft but in the scheme of things, I couldn't give a flying one. We're going to win the league

[Mr Pink]

I was wondering if the Man Utd - Sheff Utd was because it's a potential battle between CL sides, but it's one of the earlier games on the fixture list so that doesn't add up.

I guess it’s just to publicly highlight and draw attention to the comical fact that Man U are now competing with Sheffield United!

[rodo]

so we cant be trusted to go the ground but its sound if we go the ****ing beach

[Fosterbloke]

Shef Utd could win a Euro place, that's cause enough for street celebrations, maybe that's their thinking?