What former Liverpool star John Barnes said about extending the Premier League - and how it could impact Sheffield United

Former Liverpool and England star John Barnes has called for a future season to be written off to enable the current campaign to finish.
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His old club lead the Premier League table by 25 points with nine games remaining, while seventh placed Sheffield United are just two shy of Manchester United who occupy fifth place – the final Champions League place if the two-year ban handed down to Manchester City by UEFA is upheld.

Now Barnes has joined calls for a conclusion to the current incomplete season for the integrity of the leagues in the wake of UEFA postponing this summer’s European Championships for 12 months to allow suspended Europeans leagues to finish.

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"You have leagues to be finished and I think leagues have to be finished, not just from Liverpool's point of view or any other club in any country,” Barnes told Sky Sports News.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

"It's obviously bigger than that, you are talking about promotion and relegation all the way down the divisions. So I think if the leagues can even be delayed - you don't have to rush back to them - maybe you have to write off a season.

"We don't know what's going to happen on April 3 and maybe they are going to delay it further.

"Even if we have to start in July or August, what we have to do is finish these games even if it takes up until December, which writes off (next) season.

"These are desperate times and this is an unusual circumstance."