The Premier League proposals being discussed today at Project Restart meeting

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Tony Mogan1 May 2020

Premier League clubs will meet today to discuss the options to resume the 2019-20 season.

Football in England has been suspended indefinitely by the coronavirus pandemic but a return date of June 8 has now been suggested with hopes players will be able to resume training by May 18.

Matches being played behind closed doors without supporters present is a certainty with other measures expected to be put in place.

As reported by Standard Sport on Thursday, top flight clubs are concerned that Covid-19 testing is the biggest obstacle to the return of professional football .

All 20 clubs will receive details of ‘Project Restart’ — a plan to resume the top-flight by mid-June — at today's shareholders’ meeting.

Here are the other major items on the agenda...

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Players to wear masks/snoods at all times

A proposal for players to cover up their faces during matches and training has already been dismissed as 'farcical' by Brighton striker Glenn Murray.

"It is going to be off-putting, it is not going to be natural and people are going to be ripping them off in the middle of training,” Murray said.

Players and staff to be banned from spitting

Medical officials have advised the Premier League to ban spitting during matches in order to stop the threat of coronavirus and give players who ignore the rule a yellow card.

"It is unhygienic and a good way to spread the virus," Fifa’s Medical Committee chairman, Michel D’Hooghe said. "This is one of the reasons why we have to be very careful before we start again."

Tight training restrictions

A number of measures could be implemented on the training pitch. Groups will be limited to five players per training group, tackling and close-contact training drills will be prohibited and players will operate in designated time slots: 15 minutes to prepare, 75 minutes of small group training, 15 minutes recovery.

Action Images via Reuters

No massages unless permitted by club doctor

Players will be unable to receive massages unless approved by the club doctor. In fact, players could be denied access to dressing rooms unless they need to use the toilet.

All equipment to be disinfected before and after use

All footballs will be disinfected by staff in personal protective equipment under strict rules.

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