Liverpool has managed to do something that has not been done since Arsenal in the 2003/04 season, and that is to go unbeaten in the Premier League this season. The Reds are currently sitting pretty on top of the table with a 22 point lead but their Premier League title hopes may be cut short due to the worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus.
Rumors suggest this season could be cut short which will mean Jurgen Klopp’s men may not be crowned champions. Should the season end prematurely due to the virus outbreak, Klopp’s side will be furious and boycotts are expected to happen from the Reds fans.
The current rumors also suggest there is currently no specific regulation that has been put in place if the season were to end prematurely. This will end up resulting in all 38 top-flight games being considered incomplete and the three teams currently in the relegation zone may be reprieved.
So far, over 80,000 people in close to 50 countries have been confirmed infected with the virus so far. Another 2,800 have been confirmed to have died. On Friday the government of Switzerland has announced the cancellation of all events set to involve a thousand people or more. The Switzerland government said this was done in efforts to tackle the disease, while all football fixtures have been canceled for the weekend.
The Premier League is yet to take such decisions but if the Premier League were to follow the advice of the UK government, Liverpool could most likely miss out. There are currently 11 matches remaining in the English Premier League with Liverpool looking to lift their first top-flight title in 30 years. With the virus spreading on a rapid in the UK, one should expect the UK to take drastic safety measures and may see the government opt to cancel sporting events up till 2 months.
The English Premier League is said to be holding talks in the event of a suspension or cancellation of the remaining season. Among the topics is if the previous 27 rounds of matches should stand or be void. With Liverpool winning 26 of these matches and drawing one to Manchester United earlier in the campaign, there seems to be nothing standing in their way of lifting the title provided the league is able to continue.
With just four more wins Liverpool will be able to claim the Premier League title and any move to take that away from them may prove highly controversial and lead to a riot by Reds fans. Not to mention further issues concerning the European qualifications and relegation zone if the league were to be suspended.
Currently in fourth-place on the Premier League table is Chelsea, with United trailing three points behind in fifth place. Tottenham and Sheffield United are four points behind fourth place, Chelsea, in sixth and seventh respectively. In the relegation zone sit Norwich, Watford, and West Ham United. In the event the virus spreads and gets worse in the UK, all results will then be wiped away leading to no title or relegation for the 2019/20 campaign.
