Typical that the EPL are increasing the size of the league to avoid potential court claims against them yet in 2008 they refused to accept Kevin McCabe's proposal that we stayed up over the Tevez affair to avoid similar action and it was rejected out of hand.
The proposal quoted in the Mail would be ridiculous as there is no way the majority of the EPL Clubs will vote for 5 teams being relegated next season. This is too much of a financial risk.
The solution is simple but the EPL will not go with it.
1. Declare the 2019/20 fixtures a 29 game season.
2. Any team that has completed 28 fixtures to only play their game in hand behind closed doors if it affects the title, a European Place or relegation.
3. Once these games are completed declare the season over. Award the title, Champions and Europa League places and relegate the bottom three.
This will result in the need for only 1 fixture to be completed Aston Villa v Sheffield United.
Villa to see if they can avoid relegation with Narwich and Bournemouth and the Blades to see if they can pip Newton Green to a Champions League place.
As far as the Championship and League 1 are concerned declare 37 and 35 game seasons respectively. No play offs mean the top three are promoted and bottom three are relegated. Only 1 team would seem to have a case for playing their game in hand to avoid relegation and that is Tranmere but they would need to win by a cricket score.
In league two a 37 game season with Cheltenham having to play their game in hand to see if they could pip Exeter for promotion.
In short potentially as little as three games behind closed doors to sort out all the leagues at a declared cut off point of games played.
As this benefits the Blades at the expense of Man U there is no way the EPL will agree to this preferring a buggers muddle to logic and the thought of that pesky Sheffield United lowering the tone of the Champions League. Remember Piggy Richards is at the EPL.