Before the Corona pandemic took off seriously, Liverpool looked set to secure a victory in Premier Leauge. After 29 games played, the team leads the league with 25 points over Manchester City, with a match more played.

Never before has a team led the league as much at this time.

Only two wins in the nine remaining rounds are required to secure the title. If they are now played clearly, that is.

On Friday, representatives of all Premier League teams gathered in a crisis meeting to discuss the future. The clubs agreed to resume the current season when it is safe and appropriate to do so. They also agreed to ask their players to drop 30 percent in pay so that non-gaming staff can keep their jobs. Together, the clubs will also donate more than SEK 1.5 billion to the lower divisions and SEK 250 million to the English health care.

Something the clubs also agree on is that they want to complete the current season if the opportunity exists.

But even if the government would ease the restrictions, it is unlikely that matches will be possible for the public in the near future. Alternatives that are weathered are to play clear remaining rounds in front of empty stands. The problem with that is that whatever other staff will be needed during the matches. In particular, medical personnel who, in this national emergency, are considered to have more important things to themselves than to take care of injured football players.

The reason why the clubs strive to play the clear season is primarily about money. Huge sums for international television rights are at stake. As recently as this week, beIN Media Group, the world's largest holder of TV rights for sports, announced that, just like Canal Plus, they hold the money unless French Ligue 1 is played clearly. That probably gave the Premier League clubs a scare hiccup. If the current season does not end as planned, according to English media data, they risk being forced to repay almost SEK 9.5 billion for breach of contract.

With both an European Championship playoffs and a Summer Olympics postponed to next year, it should be possible to play clear remaining rounds later this summer. The problem is that many players' contracts expire on June last. It is possible to settle with temporary short-term contracts, although they would probably be voluntary for the players in question to sign. It can also involve complications if the players in question are injured without having signed a contract with their future clubs. Several clubs' sponsorship contracts also expire, including Liverpool's agreement with its main sponsor, which concludes last May. The sportswear giant would probably not appreciate Liverpool becoming champions without their logo.

A forward season ending would also affect the start date of the next season. Since the English leagues are closely intertwined with other European leagues and international cups, a joint decision with Uefa would probably be required.

The alternative that is usually discussed on the country's sports pages is to freeze the season that the table looks like right now. Liverpool would then become clear winners, which few have any objections to.

The problem concerns the locations below.

In the upper half of the table important places for the Champions League and Europa Leauge are at stake. Since some teams have played fewer matches than others, they should receive an average score as compensation. As the table looks right now, Wolverhampton and Sheffield United have the same number of points, but Wolverhampton has a match more played. Further down the table above all, Aston Villa would be upset if the league ended with a frozen table. With their current place as second jumbo, they would leave without having to fight the final rounds.

No matter how you choose to end the Premier League, it will create problems.

One final option is therefore to cancel the current season and start from scratch again after the summer. Although it would be an expensive solution, it may be the simplest and most just decision in the end. But many people, especially in Liverpool and Leeds, have a different view of it.

Glenn Hysén: "Some curse that rests"

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