Up to ten Premier League clubs would push for relegation to be scrapped should the season be curtailed amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports.
Norwich City’s season is set to restart behind closed doors on June 20 after Premier League clubs resumed full contact training last week.
Sky Sports are reporting that officials at the Premier League would seek to conclude the current season by adopting a points per game formula to decide the final standings should there be another outbreak of Covid-19.
If that occurs, a team’s points would be divided by the number of games they have played, and league standings would be based on the average number of points a team has earned per match.
That formula would then become Premier League protocol in the future should a season be unable to conclude. For it to be added to the Premier League rules, it needs the support of 14 clubs.
Fired up Canaries chief insists relegations and promotions can only happen if season is concludedIf that formula was to be applied to the league as it currently stands, then City would be relegated alongside Aston Villa and Bournemouth - with Liverpool crowned champions.
Speaking to Sky, one unnamed owner of a top-flight club claimed he would oppose relegation should the season be curtailed, despite the FA ruling the possibility out last month.
“We would vote for no relegation if the season is curtailed,” he said. “There are up to 10 clubs who think the same thing.”
EFL chairman Rick Parry claims there would be outrage from Championship clubs should relegation be abolished and threatened legal action against the Premier League should that be enforced.
City’s stance on relegation was outlined by sporting director Stuart Webber last month, stating that the Canaries favoured option was to resume the season behind closed doors.
“In my opinion it needs to be settled on the pitch, not off the pitch, because a big question we have around restarting is it’s fine if we restart and three teams are relegated,” Webber told Sky Sports.
“I appreciate you’re saying we’re adrift but we look at it as we’re only six points off 16th, rather than being adrift, but if we do (get relegated) that’s fine because that’s where football should be played, on the pitch not in the boardroom.”
As it stands however, City will return to action on June 20 behind closed doors after the government gave the green light for sport to resume as of June 1.
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