According to All Football there is a major rift emerging between the top 14 Premier League clubs and those in the bottom six, with concerns that the relegation strugglers will try to block the completion of the season and plunge the league into financial disaster.

Despite a unified statement in the aftermath of Friday’s pivotal conference call, there were very different views expressed internally, with Brighton and Hove Albion, Watford, West Ham United, Bournemouth, Norwich City and, to a lesser extent, Aston Villa opposed to using neutral grounds for the remaining games.

Paul Barber, the Brighton chief executive, has already gone on record to say that playing the remaining games at neutral grounds, as per the Project Restart plan to complete the season in a biosecure environment, is unacceptable to his club, currently 15th and two points off the relegation places.

Friday’s call saw a number of clubs outside the traditional Big Six argue that the neutral grounds approach was the only way the league could complete its remaining fixtures and by doing so avoid a potentially crippling £762 million rebate to broadcasters in the event of a curtailed season.

While it would require just 14 votes to pass the neutral-grounds amendment, the league is aware that it must carry with it the players, staff and public mood if it is to have any chance of resuming the season – if permission is granted by government on Thursday. There is general support throughout the other 14 clubs for the prospect of restarting the season in June with games played at neutral venues and the abolition of home advantage.

From the six clubs most at threat from relegation, Christian Purslow, the Villa chief executive, is understood to have offered a very balanced reaction to the prospect of games being played at neutral grounds on Friday. Karren Brady, the West Ham vice-chairman, wrote in her column in Saturday’s Sun that she was supportive of completing the season and that “any compromises have to be fair and uphold the integrity of the game”.

Jeff Mostyn, the Bournemouth chairman, is understood to have spoken at length against the neutral grounds proposal. Barber told Telegraph Sport: “We are not in favour of neutral venues because we believe it damages the integrity of the competition. We do want to finish the season and we want to find a way to finish when it’s safe to do so. So, we will continue to work with our fellow clubs and the Premier League to find a way to do that.”

On the other side, there were major contributions during Friday’s conference call from many clubs outside the top six: Martin Semmens, the Southampton chief executive; Mike Garlick, the Burnley chairman; Stephen Bettis, Sheffield United chief executive; and Steve Parish, Crystal Palace chairman.

All spoke on the importance of completing the season. All made the point that while playing at neutral grounds was a compromise of sorts, by playing out the season they were doing much more to maintain its sporting integrity.

Semmens told BBC Radio Solent: “I have a responsibility in my role to make sure we do get back one day or we will have a problem with our staff, and we will have problems keeping the club running and serving the community. We also have a responsibility to the football pyramid. The country is calling on us to help the local clubs and we want to do that. If we don’t get back to playing and our revenues dry up, it will be much harder for us to do that.”

Championship clubs have discussed restarting the season in July. While doubts are being heard over completing the campaign in League One and Two, second-tier clubs believe returning to action midsummer and having a quick turnaround for the new season can be explored.

Frank Lampard, the Chelsea manager, said that testing of Premier League players for Covid-19 should not impact on tests for NHS and front-line workers. He told BT Sport: “When we talk about the testing that we’re going to be doing, we’re going to have 70 or 80 staff minimum if we’re going to restart training, and if we’re going to test regularly, that’s fine.

“But when we’re looking around the world, I don’t know the testing numbers for NHS and care workers and people that do these incredible jobs over the last two months or so. I don’t think it would sit well with me or anyone if we didn’t make sure people were being tested who are in that front line.

“I think it’s important for football to take its place. After that we probably have the integrity issue, neutral venues, out-of-contract players, of which we have a couple of major players, so there are many conversations and I think that’s very clear at the minute.”

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