This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
On June 17, 2020, the Premier League resumed its season after a 100-day lockdown, with Manchester City's match against Arsenal marking the beginning of a frenetic dash to finish the season.
While the coronavirus pandemic has significantly altered the Premier League's landscape, football-starved fans will be able to enjoy 92 games crammed into less than six weeks, all played behind closed doors.
There is still much to decide over the rest of the season, with Liverpool on the brink of their first English title in 30 years, Champions League places up for grabs, and a heated relegation battle going down to the wire.
Relegation-threatened Aston Villa kicked off the return with their home game against European hopefuls Sheffield United, while Pep Guardiola's second-placed City provided the star power when Arsenal visited the Etihad Stadium a few hours later.
A City defeat would mean leaders Liverpool would clinch the title if they won at Merseyside rivals Everton on Sunday.
Players will have to adapt to the eerie silence in the usually noisy stands, with all games being played behind closed doors.
However, the Premier League has implemented strict health protocols, allowing about 300 people in stadiums for each match, with widespread disinfection of changing facilities, dugouts, matchballs, goalposts, corner flags, and substitution boards.
People other than players and coaching staff on team benches must wear face coverings, and players have been told to maintain social-distancing during goal celebrations and encouraged not to spit.
City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged the unusual experience, saying, 'It was a little bit weird watching the games. When you play at home you have that extra intensity and passion from the crowd. That is not going to happen.'
Guardiola also expressed concerns about the hectic schedule, stating, 'The problem is not to play one game, it is to play another and another with a lack of physical training to be prepared.'
