The Premier League have confirmed they are working on the season resuming on June 17 - but stress “there is much work to be done”.
Everton will face Liverpool in the 236th Merseyside derby on the weekend of June 19-21 if all goes to plan.
Chief executive Richard Masters has this afternoon responded to the latest government guidance on the return of elite sport.
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Masters said: ‘The Premier League welcomes the Government’s announcement today.
"All major sports, including the Premier League, have been working together with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to produce this Stage Three protocol.
"We could not have reached this point without the full support of the Government, especially DCMS, Public Health England and the Chief Medical Officer’s team.
‘We have provisionally planned to restart the Premier League on 17 June, but there is still much work to be done to ensure the safety of everyone involved. This includes consulting with our clubs, players and managers - along with all our other stakeholders - as the health and welfare of our participants and supporters is our priority.
‘If all goes well, we will be thrilled to resume the 2019/20 season in just over two weeks’ time.’
