Premier League confirms fixtures for restart post COVID-19 hiatus

London, June 5 (IANS) Manchester United are set to return to Premier League action at Tottenham Hotspur on June 19 after the opening dates for the resumption of the top flight were announced on Friday.

The Premier League, which was suspended in March due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, will resume after a 100-day hiatus on June 17 with Aston Villa taking on Sheffield United, followed by the game between Manchester City and Arsenal on the same evening.

Liverpool, who currently lead the Premier League table by 25 points with nine games remaining as they chase their first title in 30 years, will take on Merseyside derby against Everton on June 21. Jurgen Klopp’s team will then host Crystal Palace at Anfield on June 24, before taking on Manchester City follows on July 2.

The Premier League has only confirmed the fixture schedule for the first three match rounds of the resumed season, which will all be played behind closed doors. The games will be held on almost every day between June 17 and July 2.

“It was confirmed last week, the remaining 92 matches will be broadcast live in the UK by the Premier League’s existing broadcast partners as, due to COVID-19, all matches will take place behind closed doors,” the league said in a statement.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “We know it won’t be the same without our loyal supporters in stadiums but, together with our broadcast partners, we are able to ensure fans can watch or listen to each match live from home.

“It is important that as many people as possible can access our games so we are extremely happy that more than a third of our remaining fixtures will be televised free-to-air here in the UK,” he added.

It has been already announced that the clubs will be able to use five substitutes during the matches.

Recently, Aston Villa footballer Tyrone Mings had said players were the ‘last people to be consulted’ over the English Premier League’s restart plans, which he feels is ‘financially driven’.

–IANS

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