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‘Liverpool feared season write-off & end of title dream’ – Moore admits coronavirus proposals caused alarm
The Reds’ former chief executive concedes that the “self-interest” of others had those at Anfield sweating on the capture of a Premier League crown
Former Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore admits those at Anfield feared the “self-interest” of others would lead to the 2019-20 Premier League campaign being written off amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Reds had surged clear at the Premier League summit when competitive football was shut down in March.
Uncertainty reigned for several weeks, with it suggested that a title-starved outfit would be denied the opportunity to bring a 30-year wait for top-flight glory to a close.
Plenty were prepared to declare an eventful season null and void, preventing Liverpool from getting their hands on the prize they coveted most.
A nightmare scenario for those on Merseyside was eventually avoided, with Project Restart bringing action back behind closed doors.
Jurgen Klopp’s side revelled in a record-setting triumph, despite being unable to celebrate with a loyal fan base, and are determined to establish another era of domestic dominance.
Moore concedes that he wondered whether the first step down that path would be taken, with discussions at the very highest level leaving Liverpool sweating on a success that few could claim they did not deserve.
“I was worried in the first couple of weeks,” Moore, who severed ties with the Reds in August, told BBC Sport.
“These were unprecedented times and we were all trying to figure out what it meant and how long it could go on for. There were some calls to erase the season as though it had never happened.
“The 20 clubs usually meet once a quarter. We had 17 shareholder meetings in less than 90 days.
“There was self-interest from teams who felt threatened. It is tough to argue against them if your livelihood depends on it.
“I was concerned at first but pretty quickly I could see we were rolling up our sleeves and everyone understood we had to finish the season.”
Liverpool eventually got their hands on the Premier League crown and are well fancied to defend that trophy despite suffering a stunning 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa last time out.
Attention has, however, been diverted away from those efforts during the October international break, with it revealed that the Reds are one of those leading the controversial ‘Project Big Picture’ proposal that could alter the face of English football forever.
