Premier League managers attack 'unfair' return of crowds until all clubs can have spectators

Premier League managers have called into question the integrity of the competition after only half of top-flight clubs were allowed to welcome fans back under new coronavirus rules.

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa and Newcastle United’s Steve Bruce warned the partial lifting of an eight-month spectator ban was “unfair” and that “the presence of the fans has an effect on the results” after their clubs were among those plunged into the highest tier of restrictions.

Ten Premier League teams were allowed to reopen their turnstiles from next Wednesday, but only for up to 2,000 fans, rather than the 4,000 some had hoped as they were placed in Tier 2. In total, 45 of the 89 professional football clubs in England – those in Wales also remained banned – were left marooned in Tier 3 for at least a fortnight in which they must continue to play behind closed doors.

As sports digested the impact of the tier restrictions, it also emerged that:

• Almost half of Premiership rugby sides would be banned from reopening their turnstiles.

• Sponsors would be among those given tickets for both Arsenal and the England rugby team’s first matches in front of fans.

• Football authorities would step up their campaign to get much larger numbers of supporters back into grounds as quickly as possible.

Arsenal confirmed they would become the first Premier League club to welcome back fans for their Europa League clash with Rapid Vienna next Thursday.

It was also confirmed the first Premier League match with any supporters since March would be West Ham United v Manchester United on December 5, with Leeds facing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the second later that evening.

“Perhaps there could be a rule that states that if fans are not allowed in all stadiums then they should not be allowed in at all until everybody is allowed to have them in,” Leeds manager Bielsa said.

“It should be about trying to maintain the competition as equal as possible with things that are controllable. I am just looking at common sense, which perhaps doesn’t go. The presence of the fans has an effect on the results.

“What the organisation says is people who are from places where there’s a higher risk of infection, it means they will be penalised.”

Bruce, whose side’s first match in front of spectators since March was scheduled to be their EFL Cup quarter-final at Brentford next month, said clubs with fans would have an “unfair advantage”.

Along with Leeds and Newcastle, both Manchester clubs, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City, Sheffield United and Burnley are all in Tier 3 and prevented from bringing back fans. Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton are in Tier 2.

Burnley’s Sean Dyche disputed the impact fans would have, questioning any advantage 2,000 might give Arsenal when his side travel there on December 13.

“A stadium that size have got 2,000 in. Are they ball boys?” he joked.

Roy Hodgson, Palace’s manager, said: “It will be a bit more of a difference at Selhurst Park than it will at some other stadia where the capacity is so much higher. But I don’t think it’s a question really of what difference the fans are going to make.

“I think it’s more a question of how nice it is going to be for those fans who are selected to be one of those who get a ticket for a game to see a match live again.”

Arsenal confirmed a limited number of tickets for the Vienna game would go to sponsors, with the rest on sale to supporters on a first-come first-served basis, as did the Rugby Football Union for England’s final Autumn Nations Cup match a week on Sunday.

RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said 1,000 tickets would go on sale at prices starting from £75 and 400 would be gifted to local NHS workers, with the remainder going to players’ families, local rugby clubs and sponsors.

Worcester will be the first Premiership rugby team to welcome 2,000 fans after the November lockdown, when Bath visit Sixways on December 5.

With most professional football clubs still subject to a fan ban, the Premier League and EFL were planning to step up their campaign to get much larger numbers of supporters back into grounds as quickly as possible.

The Premier League said in a statement: “The Premier League and our clubs remain committed to the safe return of all fans as soon as possible.”

The EFL added: “Whilst the return of supporters, even in a limited capacity, is a positive and important step, we will monitor progress in the coming weeks and continue to work with the Government to ensure all clubs are able to welcome back fans, in larger numbers, as soon as it can safely be achieved.”

Race meetings at Lingfield, Haydock, Ludlow and Kempton were all expected to allow a limited number of spectators to attend on December 2.