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FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Chelsea - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - August 11, 2019 Manchester United's Luke Shaw in action Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details./File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Chelsea - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - August 11, 2019 Manchester United's Luke Shaw in action Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details./File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Chelsea - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - August 11, 2019 Manchester United's Luke Shaw in action Action Images via Reuters/Jason

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw calls for Premier League season to be scrapped


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Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has said that the current Premier League season should be scrapped because of the coronavirus crisis.

The Premier League confirmed last week that the season, originally suspended until April 30, will not resume at the beginning of May and will only return when the situation stabilises.

League leaders Liverpool needed six points to seal the title while European spots and relegation positions were still unclear with nine games to go, raising questions about how they would be decided if the season does not resume.

"Scrap it and start again. Start it again, yeah," Shaw said during the Combat Corona fundraiser for UNICEF, a Fifa 20 competition that was streamed on Twitch. "It's got to be, you know. If we can't carry it on, it's got to be void."

Shaw was part of the event – that also featured Gareth Bale, Paulo Dybala, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jordan Pickford and Ruben Loftus-Cheek – which raised about  £17,000 (Dh76,700) through online donations.

Some Premier League clubs have discussed playing games without spectators in attendance but Shaw said that was not a view he endorsed as fans filling up stadiums was crucial.

"Fans are so important. You realise it even more [now]," Shaw, said. "I think the sport is for fans really ... if you don't have fans, and you don't play in front of fans, it just doesn't feel right.

"Especially on matchday, the fans are always amazing and always help the team. Whether it's home or even away, our fans are always brilliant and I feel like they're always there with us."

United were three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea before the season was suspended.

Stage 3 results

1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33

2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03

3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30

4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ

5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe         

6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates  0:01:56

General Classification after Stage 3:

1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02

2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07

3  Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35

4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40

5  Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe

6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb)  0:02:06