Virus halts Anfield redevelopment

London (AFP) – Liverpool have halted their planned redevelopment of a stand at Anfield for a year in response to the coronavirus crisis.

The Premier League leaders said Monday the pandemic had seen them call a halt to work on the Anfield Road stand that will increase the capacity of the ground to 61,000.

Liverpool had hoped to have the work finished in 2022 but the project won’t now be completed until 2023 at the earliest.

“We have experienced a number of delays to the planned project as a direct result of the COVID-19 lockdown,” Liverpool chief operating officer Andy Hughes told the club’s website.

“Given the challenges that many sectors are facing right now, including the construction, procurement and public sectors, we are taking a responsible approach to pause the project for at least 12 months.

“The complex build programme for Anfield Road is an 18-month process and needs two clear summer closed season windows in order for it to be successful.

“This is why we are pausing on the project for at least 12 months so the earliest we could complete the programme is summer 2023 rather than summer 2022 as originally planned.”

Liverpool need just two more wins to claim their first English championship in 30 years.

But the pandemic has seen the season suspended since March 13 with no certainty over whether it can resume and if all the remaining 92 games can be played if the campaign gets underway again.