Alan Shearer has bad news for Liverpool and Leeds United in worst-case coronavirus scenario

Fixtures have been suspended until April 4 due coronavirus, but clubs do not expect the league to resume then.

Instead, there’s a growing belief within the game that this season may not be completed given that the peak of the pandemic could be months away.

Karren Brady, relegation-threatened West Ham United’s co-chair, spoke about declaring the season “null and void” over the weekend.

Shearer, however, says that should be the “very last option on the table.

The former Newcastle United striker wrote in The Sun: “Every angle and scenario has to be looked at in order to reach a conclusion, even if that means a long delay before playing into next season.

“If, and it’s a huge if, the season cannot be completed, then there’s no way you can have a winner or loser. As harsh and as horrible as that would be for some clubs, none more so than Liverpool, it’s the only outcome.

“If you cannot complete the fixtures, then you cannot go handing out titles or consider relegating anybody.

“People have spoken of bringing Leeds and West Brom up from the Championship – but there would be uproar from other clubs. Sitting seven and six points above third with nine games to go, there’s no guarantee they would finish in the top two.

“For Liverpool, it would be incredibly harsh. But I cannot see how it would be fair to hand them the title – despite the fact it’s obvious nobody is going to catch them. They only need six points to wrap it up, but they haven’t got them yet, so for that reason it has to be declared null and void.

“At times like this, though, there is little point in guessing games while people are dying and things are expected to get worse.

“Everyone wants to talk about football, and we will all continue to do that during this period, but whatever people say, they’re just speculating.”

Newcastle are 13th in the Premier League with 35 points – and in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.