Premier League clubs could play at neutral venues if the coronavirus pandemic worsens.
REPORT: Premier League Could be Played at Neutral Venues
Premier League to Continue to Operate as Safely as Possible
The Athletic reports that the Premier League have reportedly arranged for clubs to play at neutral venues if they are unable to play their home matches resulting from COVID-19.
David Orstein has suggested that stadia with the best access for car parking are the most likely to be used as neutral venues.
This includes the Amex Stadium, St Mary’s, the Etihad and Old Trafford.
Playing at neutral venues was originally proposed during the first lockdown.
However, this wasn’t necessary at the time. At the moment, the Premier League clubs will continue to play at their usual home grounds.
Safety First but Integrity Second?
During this pandemic, safety has to come first. In the first lockdown, it meant that all football had to stop. Now, in this second lockdown, elite sport has been able to continue but with more precautions.
In the case of coronavirus outbreaks within clubs, or with incredibly high rates in the areas in which they are based, it could be that Premier League clubs play behind neutral venues. If this is the case, some critics would argue that it threatens the fairness and integrity of the competition.
Paul Barber, Brighton & Hove Albion’s chief executive has been one of the most vocal critics of neutral venues.
He said at the end of last season: “In our case we have got four of the six biggest clubs not just in the league but in Europe [Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal] and, at our ground, traditionally we have done OK against those teams. We have built our training ground over the last four or five years, spending tens of millions of pounds, to replicate stadium conditions as best as we can.”
Barber’s Brighton are unlikely to be alone in their complaint. After all, each stadium has its own character, conditions and pitch dimensions.
Furthermore, the scenario is likely to be that only a handful of clubs might have to play at neutral venues. Thus any club would have a basis to complain that they do not have the same home advantage that the majority of other clubs are getting.
For now, neutral venues are not being used in the Premier League. Hopefully they won’t have to come into force, to avoid what could be a messy fallout between the clubs and the league.
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