Gary Lineker predicts END of Premier League season as coronavirus hits Man City vs Arsenal

Posted Thursday, March 12, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Gary Lineker predicts END of Premier League season as coronavirus hits Man City vs Arsenal
Gary Lineker fears the end of the Premier League season is near (Image: GETTY)

Gary Lineker fears the Premier League season will be brought to a premature end after Manchester City's clash with Arsenal was postponed because of coronavirus fears.

Gary Lineker believes the Premier League season will not be able to finish as originally planned as Britain prepares for a coronavirus epidemic which has already seen Manchester City’s clash with Arsenal postponed.

Premier League chiefs are drawing up contingency plans in case the advice from the government become more severe.

As it stands all matches, besides tonight’s at the Etihad Stadium, will go ahead as planned.

Other top European leagues, such as in Spain and France, will play games behind closed doors for the foreseeable future.

Italy, the worst-hit nation in Europe, has cancelled all matches as the entire country is placed in quarantine.

But the UK has yet to take such a strong stance.

Arsenal’s showdown with City has been cancelled because the Gunners squad came into contact with Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis during their Europa League tie.

Marinakis has since announced he has contracted coronavirus and thus Arsenal’s players are being tested.

But Match of the Day host Lineker fears he may not be presenting the highlights show again this campaign.

The 59-year-old is heading to Anfield where he will present BT’s coverage of Liverpool and Atletico Madrid’s Champions League clash tonight.

“Manchester City v Arsenal is postponed,” Lineker tweeted.

“Off to Liverpool but can’t help feeling like it’s the beginning of the end of the football season.

“Despite the words of the late Bill Shankly, football is not more serious than life and death.”

Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Brighton this weekend will still go ahead.

The Gunners said in a statement: "Following yesterday’s news that Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis has recently contracted Covid-19, we have been taking medical advice and tracing any individuals who had what the guidelines define as close contact with him at the game 13 days ago.

"As a result of this exercise we identified that a number of players met the Olympiakos owner immediately following the game.”

But if the outbreak gets much worse then the Premier League will have to look at taking action.