Andros Townsend insists that the Premier League season has to finish because there is too much riding on it.
The Premier League schedule is currently suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, with no games set to take place before April 4 at least.
No decision has yet been made over when games may take place, with it looking increasingly likely that there will be further delays to the fixture schedule as the number of cases continues to grow across the UK.
But with the Premier League clubs set to meet tomorrow to discuss the next steps over the current season, the Crystal Palace winger has said a way must be found to play the remaining fixtures, even if that is behind closed doors.
"When this was first put forward a few weeks ago while we were still playing, most of us thought, ‘no we don’t want to play without fans, without the fans football is nothing’,” he said, speaking on talkSPORT.
"But we’re in a situation now where there’s no football, and I think when we restart it’ll be a choice between no fans or no football at all.
"So if they are the two options, then of course you’ve got to play behind closed doors.
"I think we have to keep waiting and play it week-by-week and see how this virus progresses.
"But one way or another this season has to finish.
"There’s too much riding on it with sponsorship, TV money, players’ contracts and bonuses, the fans have paid season tickets and subscriptions for Sky and BT and those sort of things.
"So one way or another the season has to finish, whether it’s in May or June, or later in September, October or November."
For Palace, the threat of relegation has been eased after three straight wins in the top flight, with the Eagles now looking above them at a potential top half finish.
And Townsend said the players would like to try and finish the season strongly.
Selfishly, Crystal Palace would like the season to finish,” he added. "We’re a couple of points off the European places and we’re safe from relegation, so of course we’d like to finish the season and see how well and how high up the table we can finish it.”
