Premier League: Will ‘English top-flight resume this month’ or be delayed further?

It’s already been a lengthy absence for top-flight football across Europe. But the delay looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.

The Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A have are all out of action, with very little football taking place across the entire globe due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Premier League and English Football League met with representatives of the game’s players and managers on Wednesday, with the return of football the main talking point.

England’s top-flight will not resume until it is safe to do so.

All English football was suspended last month due to the ongoing pandemic. Fixtures will not resume until April 30 at the earliest.

But that deadline may be pushed back even further given the severity of the crisis.

It’s currently 23/1 for the Premier League to return in April or earlier.

It’s 9/2 for the English top-flight to come back in May 2020, and 13/8 for a June return.

And it’s 8/11 for the suspension to finally come to an end in July or later.

Player salaries were also an issue on the agenda. Several stars may now decide to decrease their wages in order to help their clubs stay financially viable. 

Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe has already taken positive steps in the management sector, becoming the first Premier League boss to take a voluntary pay cut amid the crisis.

The safety of players, staff and fans is undoubtedly the number one priority. But many feel a decision needs to arrive sooner rather than later.

Players such as Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane have already called for the campaign to finish by the end of June. But the England international looks increasingly unlikely to get his way.

The Champions League and Europa League have also fallen victim. UEFA have recently suspended the competitions until further notice.

The governing body have also made the decision to delay all national team games. And a decision has already been made to push back Euro 2020 until the following summer.

Much like the top authorities in English football, the European organisation also met on Wednesday. A discussion took place to decide on any potential return for their respective tournaments.

Other sporting competitions in the country such as Wimbledon have also been impacted. The prestigious tennis tournament will not take place this summer, with England’s men’s cricket fixtures also under threat.

The Open golf championship is also considering a postponement, while the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will now take place in 2021.