MANCHESTER CITY hope to get the green light this week to stage their showdown with Liverpool at the Etihad on July 2.
The clash between the Prem’s top two sides was one of several picked out to be played at neutral venues ahead of Project Restart.
Pep Guardiola’s Man City should get the green light to face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at the Etihad on July 2Credit: Getty Images – Getty
However providing the first few games involving the two clubs pass without incident then the expectation is that police will back down.
Tonight’s Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison is likely to be key to any decision – as is the Kop’s home match against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
City’s game against Arsenal passed off peacefully – and there are no concerns over tomorrow night’s home match with Burnley is expected to be the same.
The potential title decider was one of six matches selected to be played at neutral venues back at the end of May.
Already the Merseyside derby and Manchester United’s clash with Sheffield United on Wednesday have been switched back to their initial venues.
And the hope is that others will quickly follow.
City have that match – as well as the Prem match against Newcastle on July 8 – on their provisional list of matches that will be staged at the Etihad.
In announcing the problem fixtures at the end of last month, Mark Roberts, the national lead for football policing, said it would be kept continually under review.
He said at the time: “a key part of this is for supporters to continue to respect the social distancing guidelines, and not to attend or gather outside the stadiums.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
