Boost for Project Restart as Premier League announces first all-clear round of testing

A total of 1,130 players and club personnel were tested on Thursday and Friday, with no positive results. The previous three rounds of testing had yielded 12 positive tests out of 2,752.

This bout of testing was the largest yet, with each club's maximum allocation upped from 50 to 60.

There was a reminder of virus' continued presence by the EFL's subsequent results, which brought 10 positive cases from 1,058 in the Championship and seven more from just 135 taken by those in League Two.

The absence of any live cases in the top-flight will be seen as a positive for the scheduled restart date of June 17.

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, appeared at the daily Downing Street briefing to announce that competitive sport was being approved for a behind-closed-doors return.