The team news for the July 1 games brought a raft of absentees.
Chelsea, suddenly deprived of their forward line of Pedro, Willian and Olivier Giroud, visited Sheffield United, deprived of Dean Henderson.
Manchester City, now lacking David Silva, took on Arsenal, now without Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari.
Elsewhere, Tottenham and Leicester faced each other shorn of Jan Vertonghen and Wes Morgan respectively.
Manchester United were no longer allowed to pick Odion Ighalo, or Newcastle their four loanees. Burnley’s squad was six men smaller.
It is a hypothetical scenario that forms the backdrop to Friday's Premier League meeting. The suggestions clubs could vote to end the season before July is underpinned by the knowledge that 66 players are out of contract on June 30.
Normally, that is long after a campaign is concluded but, while Fifa have approved plans to extend contracts until seasons end, lawyers have said they are not enforceable under English employment law. Players could leave.
Hence the possibility the season might not be completed, despite the division’s commitment to finish.
It feels unrealistic that, even with games behind closed doors, the league campaign can restart before June.
The Premier League’s mantra is that it will be guided by the government and that it will only return when “safe and appropriate”; the probability is it would be happy for some other leagues to return first, if only to ally accusations of greed.
Then, even excluding European and FA Cup commitments, four clubs – Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Sheffield United – have 10 games remaining, the others all nine.
And yet talk of finishing by June 30 ignores several factors. One is the biggest: the finances.
The Premier League has already outlined the potential loss of more than £1 billion (Dh4.6bn) if it does not finish. Even if some more games are played, broadcasters could claim a partial refund on the £750 million outstanding.
And what about the competitive balance? It would be unfair if one relegation-threatened side ended after playing Liverpool and City twice each but Norwich and Bournemouth only once while their rivals do the opposite.
It would invite legal challenges from those the wrong side of dotted lines; or, indeed, from Championship clubs if none were promoted, especially with the second tier adamant it will conclude properly (and out-of-contract players represent a far bigger issue in lower leagues where fewer players have the security of long-term deals).
So the onus should be put back on the players. They are entitled to take the view that they do not want to take the risk of getting injured when they could sign a lucrative long-term deal elsewhere.
But if there is not a legal case to force them to stay and play on short-term deals, there is a moral one. These are exceptional circumstances that were not forged by their clubs or leagues. Common sense ought to prevail.
Willian could be a role model. The Brazilian is set to leave Chelsea, looking for a three-year deal elsewhere.
But he stated last month that he would accept a short-term extension. “If I had to play in these months, I think it would be no problem for me to end the league in a way which would be loyal to the club,” he said.
Loyalty is they key word: many of those 66 players are fringe figures but it would reflect badly on anyone who walked out on clubs competing for the top four or fighting relegation with a few games to go after fixtures had been delayed by a global health crisis.
But in a meeting with there are no ideal scenarios, it would seem odd if out-of-contract players determine the end of the Premier League.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
More coverage from the Future Forum
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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