Aston Villa v Sheffield United, 17 June 2020

Kick-off: 6.00pm Played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions. Premier League Head to Head Played: 8 Aston Villa won: 5 Drawn: 2 Sheffield United won: 1 Aston Villa scored: 13 Sheffield United scored: 6 After the Premier League and Football League announced on 13 March 2020 that, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, all games would be suspended until at least 3 April 2020, this was the first senior game to be played in England since 11 March 2020. After a gap of 100 days, this was the first game to be played in the Premier League since Aston Villa's 4-0 defeat at Leicester City on 9 March 2020. It was a game also refereed by Michael Oliver. The previous longest gap between consecutive league games in the top division for a team in same season was 70 days in 1962-63 due to postponements forced by severe winter weather (Birmingam City, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City). Sheffield United won the only two previous top division games played in June (both 2-1 at Bramall Lane, versus Arsenal on 7 June 1947 and Stoke City on 14 June 1947 in League Division One). In line with the temporary law amendment made by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) due to coronavirus, this was the first league game in England to allow up to nine substitutes to be selected and up to five substitutions to be made. Each team would be allowed only three opportunities to make substitutions during each game to minimise disruption. This was the first goalless meeting between Aston Villa and Sheffield United since the Blades' visit to Villa Park in League Division One on 22 October 1966.