Premier League clubs are set to vote on whether fans will be allowed back for the final day of the season amid fears that home teams would be given a significant advantage.
After Boris Johnson announced England's roadmap out of coronavirus lockdown on Monday, it was confirmed that up to 10,000 fans could be let into matches from May 17.
That would see fans potentially allowed to attend the last round of Premier League fixtures on May 23, when Newcastle United travel to Fulham for what could be a crucial game in the relegation battle.
Yet Premier League clubs are yet to decide how to approach the return of fans, with concerns that large attendances for decisive matches will give some clubs an unfair boost.
The Guardian report that clubs are set to vote on the issue, which could well mean that 14 out of 20 clubs need to vote in favour for fans in order to attend.
A potential solution could see pilot matches staged from mid-April as part of the government's plan to hold test events prior to allowing large-scale gathering.
That could see between 2,000 and 4,000 fans allowed to attend and remove the sort of competitive advantage having a crowd at a single match would bring.
Yet test events would hinge on how successful earlier easings of lockdown measures, such as allowing household mixing, have been.
Whilst the Magpies could well end up facing Fulham in front of fans at Craven Cottage on the last day of the season, it appears unlikely that there will be 10,000 inside Craven Cottage.
The government's announcement on Monday states that venues will be allowed to have up to 10,000 fans in attendance - but this number will also be limited to 25 per cent of their capacity.
With Craven Cottage currently having a limited capacity of 19,359 due to a new stand being built, a maximum of 4,839 fans would be allowed to attend should the Premier League allow it.
