May 11 – The fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi has pleaded with Newcastle United and the Premier League to ensure “moral values prevail” before any takeover deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is backed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, is agreed.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 7 – The deepening divisions that are reported to exist over resuming the English Premier League at neutral grounds have been laid bare by the chief executive of relegation-threatened Aston Villa, Christian Purslow (pictured).
March 6 – The return of Premier League football, even behind closed doors, would “lift the spirits of the nation”, according to the country’s foreign secretary Dominic Raab.
May 6 – The rest of the 2019-20 Premier League season could be wiped out if clubs do not agree to play at neutral venues, according to the body representing English professional football’s managers.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 4 – The possibility of the English Premier League season resuming continues to be marred in uncertainty after clubs were told that only “approved neutral venues” will be used to host remaining fixtures.
May 4 – Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier believes his old club should be awarded the Premier League title even if the season is not completed because of the Covid-19 crisis.
May 1 – A warning by the mayor of Liverpool that resuming the Premier League, even behind closed doors, would be a “non-starter” because fans would still turn up has prompted an immediate response by the club who are desperate to be crowned champions for the first time in the Premier League era.
April 30 – One of Britain’s most senior police officers has warned that football will be cancelled if fans attempt to congregate outside stadiums and contravene social distancing guidelines, if and when matches resume, and also suggests some games could be played at neutral venues.
April 30 – They might have to be 2m apart but the re-introduction of standing areas to Premier League grounds in England has taken a step closer with Manchester United confirming they have received approval from Trafford Council for a barrier seating trial to take place at Old Trafford.
April 28 – As a fourth English top-flight team, Tottenham Hotspur, opened part of their training ground for light exercises on an individual basis, plans to resume the Premier League season are being stepped up in what has been labelled ‘Project Restart’.
April 28 – Liverpool’s projected £60 million expansion of their Anfield Road stadium is being placed on hold for at least a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
April 27 – English top-flight club Everton say they are “appalled” after images were released of their Italian striker Moise Kean holding a house party in direct defiance of the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown restrictions – the latest flaunting of the rules by a Premier League player.
April 23 – The English Premier League is reported to considering screening games on free-to-air channels if and when the season returns amid concerns fans will visit friends who have Sky Sports or BT Sport and risk contracting Covid-19.
April 23 – Watford’s first-team players have agreed to wage deferrals, becoming the third Premier League club to do so in a bid to tackle the financial fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.
By Andrew Warshaw
April 22 – In a highly unusual move, the English Premier League has been urged by one of its major broadcast partners as well as one of the world’s leading human rights organisations to consider blocking a Saudi-backed consortium’s bid to buy Newcastle United.