Players need 4-5 weeks to be fully fit: Man City star

ANKARA

Manchester City's English star Raheem Sterling on Sunday urged Premier League to provide top-tier division players the time they need, at least one month of training, to play high level football.

"You’d need a full four to five weeks, especially if you’re going to go back into competition, when you’re literally paid to win. You do need to do that preparation -- you can’t just go straight in," Sterling said on YouTube.

Sterling, 25, in an interview with a famous US football player Megan Rapinoe, said he can not wait to play the game.

The coronavirus pandemic disrupted sports, forcing the UK to pause English football leagues on March 13.

The former Liverpool player joined Manchester City in 2015.

Sterling scored 89 goals and produced 72 assists in 230 appearances for Manchester City.

He won the English Premier League with Man City in 2018 and 2019.

The UK vowed to carry on suspensions in professional sports -- including the English Premier League -- for health reasons until June as the government on Monday announced a road map to exit the coronavirus crisis.

The British government in a 50-page plan said the return of sports contests in the UK is in the step two which will start on June 1.

"To aid planning, the Government's current aim is that the second step will be made no earlier than Monday 1 June, subject to these conditions being satisfied," the statement read.

On Sunday, the UK reported that the death toll from coronavirus reached 34,636 as 170 more people died over the past 24 hours.

Once the Premier League was halted amid coronavirus threat, Liverpool were leading the division with 82 points in 29 games.

The Reds were followed by Manchester City, who had 57 points in 28 matches.

Leicester City ranked third with 53 points in 29 games.

The Premier League consists of 20 clubs as each team should play 38 games to complete a season properly.