Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder on why football must lift the nation's spirits

Premier League clubs are due to meet on Friday in the latest attempt to pick a way through the Covid-19 crisis which has suspended football in England and across the globe.

After initially voicing his scepticism regarding the prospect of the 2019-20 season finishing behind closed doors, Wilder promptly changed his view and has acknowledged that it represents the most pragmatic and sensible way of finishing the campaign when it is safe to do so.

It remains to be seen when that transpires, but Wilder has stressed that his players - who are following individual fitness programmes at home - have a responsibility to be ready if and when the season re-starts.

Speaking to Radio Four's Today programme, Wilder said: "They (players) have obviously been given individual programmes to do and modern-day technology has allowed us to monitor and record those activities to the levels we have set them and we have done that very, very efficiently.

"We have been delighted with that and I think they realise as well that they need to hit to ground running when, hopefully, we do get back into it.

"I should imagine it will be a pre-season and then back into the games.

"Because I am 100 per cent certain that there is a massive enthusiasm, not just from the Premier League or just the Premier League clubs and players, but the overall nation, to get some football back out on the screens.

"Hopefully, that will boost morale in the country because there is not a lot of good news stories coming out of the media at the moment.

"Hopefully that will be one and we can shift our attentions to watching a bit of football through this terrible period."