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Former Liverpool hero John Barnes says Liverpool shouldn't be handed the Premier League title if the season is not completed - and fears future seasons could be axed amid the coronavirus crisis.

Premier League clubs will attempt to thrash out a plan to complete a season placed on ice by the coronavirus pandemic when they meet via a conference call on Thursday.

Top-flight fixtures have been suspended until April 4 at the earliest and while it seems certain that the lay-off will be extended, UEFA's decision to postpone the Euro 2020 finals for 12 months has created room for manoeuvre.

It is understood the focus will be firmly on concluding the 2019-20 campaign at some point rather than on what might happen should they be unable to restart, while talks with broadcast partners, whose financial input represents such a large proportion of revenue, are ongoing.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

And Barnes, whose former side Liverpool are 25 points clear at the top and within two wins of being crowned champions, has come up with a potential solution.

He told Sky Sports : "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.

"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.

(Image: PA)

"We don’t know what’s going to happen on April 3 [when the EFL suspension is currently due to end] 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 the [next] season.

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

Liverpool are currently 25 points ahead of second-placed Manchester City in the table but Barnes believes it would be wrong to hand them the title without completing the remaining fixtures.

(Image: PA)

He added: "If you’re going to give Liverpool the title who will then get relegated and promoted?

"You can’t just say, “Liverpool get the title because we’re so far ahead” because then what happens to Leeds, West Brom and Fulham? And what happens to the three teams at the bottom of the Premier League?

"Obviously safety is the most important thing, but I think the best thing to do is to allow this season to take place, however long it takes.

"There’s no need to rush back. Now that the Euros has been postponed, even if you play one game a week from October, then the season goes on to January or February.

"Then you can have a proper pre-season and kick-start the new season at the right time rather than be playing catch-up for years."