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Premier League clubs to meet on Thursday to discuss rest of season

The Premier League season will not resume until April 4 at the earliest.

Premier League clubs will gather via conference call on Thursday morning to discuss fixtures and finances amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Top-flight action is suspended until April 4 at the earliest, and measures around social distancing mean no clubs will be present in person for the meeting.

UEFA's gathering of football stakeholders on Tuesday ended with an outline commitment to completing domestic competitions across Europe by June 30, and the decision to postpone Euro 2020 to the summer of 2021 has given competition organisers like the Premier League greater wriggle room.

It is understood that no decisions will be taken on what would happen in the event of it becoming impossible for the competition to restart, with the focus primarily on how the fixture schedule could be completed.

Match day revenue is clearly still an important consideration even at Premier League level, but far less so than in the EFL, so clubs are likely to be more open to the idea of playing matches behind closed doors if it is deemed safe to do so over the next month or two.

Clubs are expected to share their experiences so far of how the pandemic has affected them financially, and the implications of a longer-term suspension of competition.

The league is understood to be in ongoing dialogue with its broadcast partners, whose schedules have been decimated by the widespread cancellation of sporting events.

Mikel Arteta is understood to be in good spirits after testing positive for coronavirus
Mikel Arteta is understood to be in good spirits after testing positive for coronavirus (John Walton/PA)

The news that Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta had tested positive for coronavirus late last Thursday night was one of the key developments which led to the league being suspended until early next month.

The Gunners gave an update to say that the squad remained on course to return to their London Colney training base next Tuesday.

Arteta is understood to be feeling better and in good spirits.

Chelsea staff who had close personal contact with Callum Hudson-Odoi, who also tested positive for Covid-19, are still self-isolating but the training ground at Cobham is operational.

Blues boss Frank Lampard said on Tuesday that Hudson-Odoi was making good progress and "almost feels his usual self".

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2Manchester CityMan City35257387335482
3Liverpool36239481384378
4Aston Villa36207973532067
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs351861169581160
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle351751378562256
7Chelsea351591170591154
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd35166135255-354
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham361310135670-1449
10Bournemouth36139145263-1148
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton351211125357-447
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves36137164960-1146
13Fulham36128165155-444
14Crystal Palace361110154957-843
15Everton36129153849-1137
16Brentford3699185260-836
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3689194563-1829
18Luton TownLuton3668224978-2926
19Burnley3659223974-3524
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd36372635100-6516


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