John Barnes gives genuine verdict on title races involving Liverpool and Leeds

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John Barnes has told Sky Sports that Liverpool shouldn’t be awarded the Premier League title if the league cannot continue.

He has also had his say on what should happen on the race to win a place in next season’s Premier League.

The former Reds winger is a legend at Anfield having spent 10 years at the football club from 1987 to 1997.

He made 79 appearances for England during his career and is fondly remembered for his dazzling array of skills.

Barnes doesn’t believe, despite being 25 points clear at the top, that his former club should just be given the trophy.

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 be delayed – you don’t have to rush back to them – maybe you have to write off a season.

“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”

Barnes’ comments won’t delight the Liverpool supporters, although some would rather see their team win the title properly.

Simply being given it would see them come under fire from other clubs supporters who would feel shortchanged at a title just being given out.

Promotion race

Barnes also suggested that not finishing the leagues would have an impact on the teams fighting for a place in the Premier League.

A loose suggestion has seen people call for a 22-team top-flight next season, allowing Leeds and West Brom to cash in on their places in the top two.

With Brentford, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Preston all vying for promotion through the play-offs, that notion also seems unfair and Barnes agrees.

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

“You can’t just day, “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.

“I think the best thing is to allow this season to take place, however long it takes.”

Barnes does make some great points and it seems only fair that the season can finish whenever safe to do so.

Leeds and Liverpool supporters won’t want anything handed to them and they’ll want to get their respective jobs done properly.

Football is all about the fans and robbing both sets of supporters of memories that could last a lifetime seems unjust.