Liverpool great Robbie Fowler says the rest of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign must be played out in its entirety even if it disrupts the start of next season.
The Merseyside giants have an enormous 25-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table and appear on course to end their painful 30-year wait to win the domestic title, needing just two more wins to secure the trophy.
However, Liverpool’s celebrations have been put on hold, with all professional football in England suspended until April 4 at the earliest due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
Jurgen Klopp has thrown his support behind the decision amid the ongoing health crisis and Fowler agrees that the Premier League had no other option.
The former Liverpool and England striker, though, insists the Premier League must prioritise the current season, regardless of how much disruption it causes next term.
‘I think the season has to play out, regardless of how long we have to wait,’ Fowler told Sky Sports News.
‘I think we have got to bring the games back into it and just wait until the season can get going again. In all fairness I think the Premier League should wait as long as it takes and then play all the games.
‘If any season is going to be interrupted it should be next season because then everyone starts on a level playing field and everyone understands what the implications are then.’
Asked whether Liverpool should be given the title if this is not possible, Fowler replied: ‘It’s a tough question. With my Liverpool head on I am going to say yes.’
Liverpool legend Phil Thompson has serious doubts that the Premier League season will resume in April but has called for the remaining fixtures to be played at a later date.
Asked whether it was too optimistic to envisage the season resuming on April 4, Thompson told Sky Sports: ‘I would think so.
‘I think they’re just giving themselves breathing time and it’s very difficult to see it get up and running then.
‘They’ll be having meetings and every day it will change.
I’m watching Sky News every day and it’s changing by the hour. Things are changing all the time.
‘Playing behind closed doors is a contentious issue. I believe football is nothing without the fans, it’s a fans game and I like to think it could resume and the fixtures will be completed.
‘As Jurgen Klopp said there are bigger issues to be concerned about but it would be good to get the fixtures completed because there’s so many issues to be decided.’
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