Wednesday, 17 June is the tentative date for the long-awaited and much anticipated Premier League restart.
Manchester City v Arsenal headlines the midweek action pencilled in for that day with Aston Villa also playing Sheffield United.
There are 92 Premier League fixtures remaining in the 2019-20 season before it’s complete. Any Project Restart plans must have government approval, however, but clubs agreed in principle to the 17 June date.
A full programme of Premier League fixtures follows from Friday, 19 June and over that weekend. This plan brings to an end more than three months since the suspension of top flight football in England.
That decision taken on 13 March came four days after the last Premier League game when Leicester City beat Villa 4-0. There will be a gap of a hundred days from then before the next fixture.
Mid-June is now set to have two key sports betting events with the Premier League restart and Royal Ascot in horse racing.
Both the football and Britain’s premier Flat horse racing festival take place behind closed doors, however. This news follows Premier League clubs voting unanimously for the resumption of contact training on Wednesday.
Top flight football in England usually ends in May. The last time there was a game in June was way back in 1947.
Man City v Arsenal was already down for live TV coverage when postponed, so should remain on schedule. Pep Guardiola’s side sit second in the Premier League table while the Gunners are ninth.
Where things stand ahead of Premier League restart
Liverpool are 25 points and upwards clear, chasing a first league title in 30 years. Norwich City, Villa and Bournemouth occupy the relegation places, meanwhile.
Just two points separate 15th from third bottom, however, with the race for European places also competitive. Seven top flight teams, from fifth down to 11th, sit six points apart
Man City may have the one of Premier League restart fixtures, but face an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport over their European ban in June.
The outcome of that has a huge say on which teams qualify for the Champions League and Europa League next season.
If City’s suspension from Europe is upheld, then the fifth place Premier League side from this term gets a Champions League place. That in turn moves the Europa League spots further down the table.
European regulars Arsenal and North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur battle the likes of Wolves and Burnley for those honours.
