Premier League striker says immediate promotion for Leeds United and West Brom would be unfair

STRIKER Glenn Murray says it would be unfair if Brighton are relegated from a fully completed Premier League but sides are still promoted from the Championship without kicking another ball.
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The forward's concerns come with Brighton two points off the Premier League dropzone and with Leeds United in pole position to seal promotion from the Championship alongside second-placed West Brom.

The Premier League and EFL are both still hoping to complete their remaining fixtures despite the country's ongoing battle against coronavirus and the associated social distancing measures.

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The Government will allow sporting events to take place behind closed-doors for broadcast from June 1 but only if sufficient progress is made in limiting the spread of the virus between now and then.

CONCERNS: For Brighton striker Glenn Murray. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.CONCERNS: For Brighton striker Glenn Murray. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.
CONCERNS: For Brighton striker Glenn Murray. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.

EFL chairman Rick Parry has already stated that the EFL campaign must be completed by July 31 - when around 1,400 players' contracts will be up - and even if the season is curtailed, Parry still expects promotion and relegation to and from the Premier League.

The FA have also laid down expectations for relegation to take place from the top flight and insisted there is no option to declare the season null and void.

But Seagulls striker Murray says promotion and relegation should only be settled if fixtures are settled in full and not decided on methods such as current standings or points per game.

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Speaking on The Football Show on Sky Sports, Murray said: "Our standpoint is that if the games get played the worst three teams get relegated and that’s plain and simple, and hopefully it will be in this case.

“Obviously if we manage to play our games in the Premier League then the bottom three deserve to go down.

“But if they’re to be relegated then the Championship has to finish their games. If the Championship doesn’t finish its games they don’t deserve to be promoted.

“If the Championship finishes, great, we’ll swap places. But if the Premier League finishes and we get relegated without them kicking a ball I can’t see that’s fair.

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"We talk about fairness and we are trying our best to try and get this Premier League finished.

"No one wants it voided. If we manage to finish it then all the players agree that the bottom three sides will be the worst three sides over the course of the season and deserve to go down.

"But if the clubs below us in the Championship aren't finishing their season why should they get promoted?"

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