It seemed a million miles away in the early stages of the COVID 19-epidemic, but Premier League football is due to return on 17th June.
The UK government has given the green light for live competitive sport to restart behind closed doors and in carefully controlled environments. And that means the Premier League can follow the Bundesliga and the soon to return La Liga to finish the season, and there is plenty of business to be settled.
Liverpool’s title charge is in the home stretch while at the other end of the table there is a ferocious battle between a cluster of teams desperate to avoid relegation. The league chiefs’ confidence in agreeing a return has been boosted by the low number of positive tests among the 20 elite clubs.
A total of 12 Premier League staff tested positive from the 2,700 tests undertaken in the first three rounds, and as 1,130 people were tested in the fourth round, there were no additions to the total.
So it looks like we’re soon to embark on a football festival of 92 games in the UK. It’s a mini-competition with massive prizes at stake and a great range of SBOBET odds, statistics and tips to bring the action to life.
The Premier League has stressed that no- one can be forced to play, and players –including Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante and Newcastle’s Danny Rose — have previously expressed concerns. But these have been allayed and they have joined their team-mates in full contact training once again.
So fans can expect a summer football extravaganza with plenty of blockbuster games to look forward to, including a showcase opening on the 17th June when Manchester City meet Arsenal.
The Gunners have arguably more to play for; after an underwhelming season, they find themselves in ninth place but are still in the hunt for a Europa League place.
The Sky Blues are 12 points clear of fifth, so have a Champions League place booked. Although, there remains some doubt as to whether they will be able to participate after having been banned by UEFA.
The Etihad legal team will be preparing their case no doubt, and who’d bet against them. But I suspect Manchester City’s priority is now to win the 2020 Champions League and that would put UEFA in a rather awkward position.
When Jurgen Klopp inevitably guides his team to the 2020 league title, it may well be against Merseyside neighbours Everton on the first full weekend of football, but it could be played at a neutral venue because police fear a crowd may gather outside the ground when Liverpool prepare to win a first league title since 1990.
Spurs injuries clearing up
As a by-product of the global shutdown in sport, players have had time to rest and rehabilitate, with extra time to recover from injuries which kept them out in March.
Spurs were the team with the most high-profile absentees with Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli all sidelined, and boss Jose Mourinho has said they are all fit to play. That will be music to Spurs’ fans ears as their club sits just a single point ahead of North London rivals Arsenal, having played a game more.
Manchester United too could benefit from a return to fitness of Marcus Rashford who had suffered a back strain which was expected to keep him out for the remainder of the season, and we could even see the return of Paul Pogba.
But Red Devils’ fans may wonder which Pogba will turn up if he’s fit – the inspirational France World Cup winner or the bored luxury player who has too often failed to replicate his international form at Old Trafford. The Red Devils need everyone firing if they are to win the race for that coveted fourth place.
Battle for survival
Head coaches will tell you that the pressure of winning titles or European places is nothing compared to that at the bottom of the league, where teams in a dogfight have their top-flight existence threatened.
Managers lose their jobs, players reputations can suffer and fans are distraught. So it’s no surprise that various spokespeople from the bottom-six clubs have appeared reluctant to restart at times, notably Brighton chief executive Paul Barber.
The Seagulls are in fifteenth place and two points above the drop zone, and even Norwich, who looked stranded in bottom place will have revived hopes.
There are odd results at the beginning and the end of each season and this nine-game campaign will throw up plenty. The Premier League 2020 betting odds suggest the bottom three — Norwich, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth — will go down, but Brighton, Watford and West Ham could all easily take the drop.
I fancy Eddie Howe’s Cherries to put some wins together for one. It’s going to be a fight to the finish with twists and turns aplenty as the Premier League 2020 results begin to roll in again.
Football’s coming home…thank goodness!
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