MX23RW : Tuesday, February 4 00:54:57| >> :60:1147:1147:

Tyrone Mings: "Project Restart is financially driven"

The top flight is due to resume on June 17.

Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings believes the Premier League's return is driven by money.

The England defender also said players were the last to be consulted about the top flight's comeback plans.

The Premier League is due to restart on June 17 after being halted in March by the coronavirus pandemic.

There were no positive results in the most recent round of tests at Premier League clubs and the UK government says elite sport can return behind closed doors from Monday.

Mings told the Daily Mail: "Project Restart is financially driven. I think everybody accepts that.

"But that's fine with me because I look at this monster that is Premier League football and the revenue it creates and I didn't moan about being a part of it when everything was great so I'm not going to moan now when the atmosphere around the game is more hesitant.

"I am all for playing again because we have no other choice.

"As players, we were the last people to be consulted about Project Restart and that is because of where we fall in football's order of priority. That isn't a problem.

"We got the option to come back to training and that's fine because we didn't have to but if the FA and the EFL and the government and UEFA and the Premier League all say you are going back to play, it really doesn't make any difference what the players think because you're going back to play."

Sheffield United v Aston Villa – Premier League – Bramall Lane
Villa are due to resume their Premier League campaign against Sheffield United.

The top-flight has conducted 3,882 tests for the virus over four rounds of testing on players and staff at clubs.

There were 12 positive results from the first three rounds but there was an all-clear from the fourth screening session which featured tests of 1,130 players and club personnel.

Villa are due to resume on June 17 against Sheffield United, their game in hand, and Mings is eager to get going with Dean Smith's side second bottom.

"I would be lying if I said it had never crossed my mind that we might be relegated without kicking another ball," Mings said.

"What player wants to be relegated with 10 games left while also having a game in hand? "

ID:400951: cacheID:400951:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5130:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Jamie Vardy pictured for England in 2018
Read Next:
On this day: Jamie Vardy receives maiden England call-up
>
Read more about Tyrone Mings Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool23175156213556
2Arsenal24148249222750
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest24145540271347
4Chelsea24127547311643
5Manchester CityMan City24125748351341
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle24125742291341
7Bournemouth24117641281340
8Aston Villa2410773437-337
9Fulham249963632436
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2481063538-334
11Brentford2494114242031
12Crystal Palace247982830-230
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd2485112834-629
14Tottenham HotspurSpurs24831348371127
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham2476112946-1727
16Everton236892328-526
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2454153452-1819
18Leicester CityLeicester2445152553-2817
19Ipswich TownIpswich2437142249-2716
20Southampton2423191854-369


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!