Soccer leaders, police and the UK Government have held further talks to explore "a range of options" to restart the season, which could reopen the possibility of the Premier League campaign being completed on a home-and-away basis.
A number of clubs have signalled their opposition to the idea of playing out the season at neutral venues, arguing that it has too much of an impact on the integrity of the competition.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said there was "ongoing dialogue" on the subject and now the UK's national football policing lead, Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts of South Yorkshire Police, said "positive" discussions had been held on Monday evening.
DCC Roberts said in a statement to the PA news agency: "Following a positive meeting between police, government and football last night, we will be jointly exploring a range of options to identify a way forward, which minimises any risks to public safety and unnecessary pressure on public services, but facilitates a sensible restart to the season, to support the economic and morale benefits associated with the sport."
However the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says it is "too early" to contemplate Premier League football happening in the capital.
The English top flight is working towards a plan to finish the 2019-20 season at neutral venues, although the league's chief executive Richard Masters says there is still an "ongoing dialogue" with Government and police, amid opposition to the proposal from a number of clubs. A restart date no earlier than 12 June is being kept in mind.
Khan has now come out against the idea of playing matches in London at this stage, a city badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
His spokesperson told the Evening Standard: "Sadiq is extremely keen for the Premier League and professional sport in general to resume. However, with the country still in the grips of this crisis, and hundreds of people dying every day, he believes that it is too early to be discussing the resumption of the Premier League and top-flight sport in the capital.
"As a Liverpool fan, Sadiq of course wants the Premier League to return, but it can only happen when it is safe to do so, and it cannot place any extra burden on the NHS and emergency services."
