The key figures at Sheffield United helping shape football's response to Covid-19

Together with their counterparts from the country’s other leading clubs, representatives of Bramall Lane’s medical team are involved in a discussion aimed at exploring the feasibility of ‘Project Restart’; a proposal which could see the Premier League return to action next month.

The result of those talks are set to be handed to officials at the competition’s headquarters in London and, together with the views of footballers themselves, will help decide the fate of the plan.

Subjects being examined include insurance liabilities should a fixtures resume and a player then tests positive and the extent of hygiene protocols teams should be forced to introduce after some, United included, began a partial return to training.

No matches have been played since the beginning of March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Chris Wilder’s squad forced to follow individual fitness programmes at home before being invited back to the Steelphalt Academy training complex last week. Numbers on the site are strictly limited while those taking part in sessions must comply with social distancing measures designed to help curb the spread of the disease, which has so far claimed more nearly 30,000 lives in this country alone.

United were seventh in the table with 10 PL games remaining when the lockdown was announced, only five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who occupy the final Champions League qualification berth.

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