Football news - Premier League returns: schedule announced up until July 2
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ByEurosport
Updated 05/06/2020 at 12:58 GMT
The Premier League has confirmed their schedule up until July 2.
Premier League ball
Image credit: Getty Images
HEADLINES
- Games in hand to be played on June 17 - scroll down for full details
- Aston Villa v Sheffield United will be the first game at 18:00
- Arsenal's trip to Manchester City will follow at 20:00
- The first full round of matches will start on Friday, June 19
- Five subs approved by the Premier League in Thursday meeting
FA Cup quarter-finals dates and times
Saturday, June 27
- Norwich City v Manchester United, 5.30pm
Sunday, June 28
- Sheffield United v Arsenal, 1pm
- Leicester City v Chelsea, 4pm
- Newcastle United v Manchester City, 6.30pm
First three PL gameweeks confirmed
Wednesday, June 17
- Aston Villa v Sheffield United, 6pm
- Manchester City v Arsenal, 8.15pm
Friday, June 19
- Norwich City v Southampton 6pm
- Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United, 8.15pm
Saturday, June 20
- Watford v Leicester City, 12:30pm
- Brighton & Hove Albion v Arsenal, 3pm
- 1630 West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers, 5:30pm
- Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, 7:45pm
Sunday, June 21
- Newcastle United v Sheffield United, 2pm
- Aston Villa v Chelsea, 4:15pm
- Everton v Liverpool, 7pm
Monday, June 22
- Manchester City v Burnley, 8pm
Tuesday, June 23
- Leicester City v Brighton & Hove Albion, 6pm
- Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United, 8:15pm
Wednesday, June 24
- Manchester United v Sheffield United, 6pm
- Newcastle United v Aston Villa, 6pm
- Norwich City v Everton, 6pm
- Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bournemouth, 6pm
- Liverpool v Crystal Palace, 8:15pm
Thursday, June 25
- Burnley v Watford, 6pm
- Southampton v Arsenal, 6pm
- Chelsea v Manchester City, 8:15pm
Saturday, June 27
- Aston Villa v Wolverhampton Wanderers, 12:30pm
Sunday, June 28
- Watford v Southampton, 4:30pm
Monday, June 29
- Crystal Palace v Burnley, 8pm
Tuesday, June 30
- Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United, 8:15pm
Wednesday, July 1
- Arsenal v Norwich City, 6pm
- Bournemouth v Newcastle United, 6pm
- Everton v Leicester City, 6pm
- West Ham United v Chelsea, 8:15pm
Thursday, July 2
- Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur, 6pm
- Manchester City v Liverpool, 8:15pm
Premier League fixtures expected to be announced
It's now just 12 days until the Premier League is set to resume and the complete fixture schedule is expected to be unveiled shortly.
Keep it here for further updates...
Merseyside derby set for June 21 as fixture schedule circulates
The Times are reporting that the Merseyside derby - where Liverpool could secure the Premier League title - is provisionally scheduled to take place on Sunday June 21, kick-off 7pm.
The city council are due to meet on Monday to discuss whether the match can take place at Goodison Park as scheduled, or whether a neutral venue is required.
The report suggests that the rest of the matches will take place as follows:
Wednesday, June 17
- Aston Villa v Sheffield United, 6pm
- Manchester City v Arsenal, 8pm
Friday, June 19
- Norwich v Southampton, 6pm
- Tottenham v Manchester United, 8pm
Saturday, June 20
- Watford v Leicester, 12.30pm
- Brighton v Arsenal, 3pm
- West Ham v Wolves, 5.30pm
- Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, 7.45pm
Sunday, June 21
- Newcastle v Sheffield United, 2pm
- Aston Villa v Chelsea, 4.30pm
- Everton v Liverpool, 7pm
Monday, June 22
- Manchester City v Burnley, 8pm
Tuesday, June 23
- Southampton v Arsenal, 6pm
- Tottenham v West Ham, 8.15pm
Wednesday, June 24
- Manchester United v Sheffield United, 6pm
- Newcastle v Aston Villa, 6pm
- Norwich v Everton, 6pm
- Liverpool v Crystal Palace, 8.15pm
Thursday, June 25
- Burnley v Watford, 6pm
- Leicester v Brighton, 6pm
- Chelsea v Manchester City, 8.15pm
- Wolves v Bournemouth, 8.15pm
Saturday, June 27
- FA CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Sheffield United v Arsenal, 5pm
- FA CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Norwich v Manchester United, 8.15pm
Sunday, June 28
- Aston Villa v Wolves, 12pm
- FA CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Leicester v Chelsea, 2.30pm
- Watford v Southampton, 4.30pm
- FA CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Newcastle v Manchester City, 6pm
Monday, June 29
- Crystal Palace v Burnley, 8pm
Tuesday, June 30
- Brighton v Manchester United, 6pm
- Sheffield United v Tottenham, 8.15pm
Wednesday, July 1
- Bournemouth v Newcastle, 6pm
- Everton v Leicester, 6pm
- West Ham v Chelsea, 8.15pm
Thursday, July 2
- Arsenal v Norwich, 6pm
- Manchester City v Liverpool, 8.15pm
Five subs approved by Premier League - reports
The Athletic's David Ornstein has tweeted that the Premier League will permit sides to make five subs in their games during Project Restart.
The Bundesliga also allows this as an attempt to mitigate the risk to injury after a mini pre-season and the sheer number of games to be played in a short period.
The Premier League released the following statement:
Premier League Shareholders today agreed temporary changes to the rules relating to substitute players.
For the remainder of the 2019/20 season, the number of substitutes that can be used during a match will increase from three to five players.
This is in line with the temporary law amendment made by the International Football Association Board last month.
Shareholders also approved for Clubs to increase the maximum number of substitute players on the bench from seven to nine for the rest of the 2019/20 season.
Kimmich speaks out over racism
Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimich is the latest athlete to speak out against racism. Kimmich said:
As a football player you have a big power in this world. My opinion is we should feel this responsibility and say something like Sancho did.
What we say to people outside gives us a big chance to make a statement. We discussed it, and maybe we can do something. We have to do something because we cannot give something like this (racism) a place.
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Police to examine Premier League fixture schedule
With the British government having confirmed their police's preference for neutral venues to host certain fixtures, it has now been confirmed that the authorities will examine the remaining fixture list before making recommendations.
"The MPS have been in regular contact with the NPCC football lead DCC Mark Roberts who is co-ordinating the policing response to the restart of any football matches across the UK," a statement read.
"Whilst agreement has been reached as to when the season may recommence, the plans for this to happen are still being finalised.
"We remain in contact with all the relevant bodies and will make plans as necessary when we receive a final proposed schedule for games."
What about the Champions League?
UEFA's current plan is to complete the Champions League after the domestic seasons have been completed. And with clubs unwilling to extend the season beyond what is necessary, a new Plan B has been floated.
The proposal, revealed in Mundo Deportivo would see second legs scrapped in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, allowing for an express Final Eight tournament in a single city.
Lisbon is the most likely destination, given there are no Portuguese teams left in the competition, although Madrid and Munich are reportedly also being considered.
When could Liverpool win the league?
Liverpool were 25 points clear of Manchester City when the Premier League was postponed back in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
If Liverpool and City keep on winning
Second-placed Manchester City have a game in hand over Liverpool, and they are set to play that on June 17 when hosting Arsenal at the Etihad. This will take place at 20:00 and will be the second game back after Aston Villa's rescheduled match against Sheffield United takes place earlier in the day at 18:00.
Assuming City win, then that would leave them 22 points behind Liverpool with both sides having nine matches remaining.
Should both City and Liverpool continue to win, then the latter will be crowned once they are 22 points clear with seven matches to go.
For Liverpool, that could mean in Gameweek 31’s match at home to Crystal Palace, which will likely take place on the final weekend of June, or the first weekend of July.
But what if City lose to Arsenal?
This scenario would leave Liverpool 25 points clear with nine rounds of matches to go each, meaning the Reds would simply have to match City’s result on the first full weekend back to be crowned champions.
City are set to host Burnley on the weekend of June 20-22, with Liverpool scheduled to play Merseyside rivals Everton.
The original schedule saw City’s match against Burnley on the Saturday, and Everton v Liverpool on the Monday.
If this is repeated, and should City lose to Arsenal, then Liverpool would need to match City’s result against Burnley when welcoming Everton to Anfield.
So, at the earliest, Liverpool are looking at a June 22 date – unless their match against Everton is moved forward from the Monday.
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Trent and Richarlison, Liverpool FC and Everton
Image credit: Getty Images
First details of Premier League return leaked
Aston Villa's rescheduled match against Sheffield United will be the first game broadcast when the Premier League resumes. The match, which was postponed due to Villa's participation in the Carabao Cup final, will take place at 6pm on June 17, with Arsenal's trip to Manchester City following at 8pm, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The BBC will be carrying live Premier League games for the first time since its inception in 1992 and their inaugural broadcast will be Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, which will take place on Saturday June 20 at 7:45pm. This could break the Premier League's record for broadcast ratings, which is currently held by a Manchester derby in April 2012, when both sides were vying for the title.
Meanwhile, Prime Video Sport will make its four matches available free-to-air, which would take the total number of broadcasts open to all members of the public to 33 of the remaining 92 matches.
Premier League confirms June 17 return, all 92 matches on TV
The Premier League season will resume on Wednesday, June 17, with all 92 remaining games to be shown live on TV.
The restart will likely kick off on June 17 with Aston Villa vs Sheffield United and Manchester City vs Arsenal, which were both postponed due to the Carabao Cup final. The completion of those two games will leave every team with nine matches left to play.
There will then be a full round of matches starting on Friday, June 19.
All matches will take place behind closed doors but will be available for supporters to watch on television.
Games will take place across the weekend, with kick-off times at 8pm on Friday, 12.30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 8pm on Saturday, midday, 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm on Sunday, 8pm on Monday and 6pm and 8pm for midweek matches on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The BBC has confirmed it will broadcast four live games - the first time Premier League games will have been shown live by the BBC - while Sky Sports will make 25 of the remaining top-flight matches free to air.
Who can win the title?
Liverpool. Two wins needed and it’s all over.
Jurgen Klopp's side lead by 25 points and the league could even be wrapped up on the first full weekend of the restart if second-placed Manchester City don’t win their game in hand against Arsenal on June 17.
Along with the title, Liverpool also have several records in their sights. They are on course to break City's record of 100 points, secure the largest winning margin (which currently stands at 19 points) and win the title in the quickest time - currently set at five games remaining.
They can also record the most home wins in a season if they win their last four at Anfield, which would take them to a perfect 19, one more than the record. And there's the chance to get the most wins in a season, with six more taking them past City's record of 32.
Who can make the top four?
With top spot secured and Manchester City and Leicester both well placed in second and third, it looks like it could be a six-team battle for fourth place. However, remember City's Champions League ban?
In February they were banned from the competition for two seasons and fined €30 million by UEFA due to Financial Fair Play breaches. Their appeal will be held between June 8 and 10, but if they are banned for next season then fifth place in the Premier League should secure a Champions League spot.
Chelsea are the current holders of fourth spot on 48 points but are only three points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United, who were on a promising run before the break.
Wolves are in sixth on 43 points, level with Sheffield United, who could move up to fifth if they win their game in hand against Aston Villa on June 17.
Chris Wilder’s side also face Chelsea, Manchester United and Wolves in their remaining fixtures so their fate is very much in their own hands.
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Sheffield United are in position to challenge for a top-four finish
Image credit: Getty Images
Then there’s the two north London teams. Tottenham, who will be boosted by the return of several injured players, including Harry Kane, are in eighth on 41 points while Arsenal are on 40 points but with a game in hand.
Seventh place is likely to secure a Europa League spot for next season.
Who will be relegated?
This is where the real intrigue seems to be.
Bottom-placed Norwich appear to doomed as they have a six-point gap to safety and a far inferior goal difference to the teams around them.
However, then there’s five teams who are in real trouble.
Aston Villa (19th place, 25 points), Bournemouth (18th place, 27 points), Watford (17th place, 27 points), West Ham (16th place, 27 points) and Brighton (15th place, 29 points) are all facing the prospect of dropping into the Championship if their results don’t improve.
Southampton (34 points) and Newcastle (35 points) could get dragged in if things go badly for them and the teams below them pick up some good results.
Who will win the Golden Boot?
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy is currently the front-runner with 19 goals, although he hadn’t scored in 2020 before netting twice in the final game before the league was suspended.
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is close behind on 17 goals while Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah are both on 16.
Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope leads the Golden Glove race for the most clean sheets with 11, one ahead of Alisson, Dean Henderson and Kasper Schmeichel.
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