Soccer-Burnley offer free entry to home fans for Liverpool clash

(Reuters) - Burnley will allow up to 3,500 fans inside Turf Moor for their final Premier League home game of the season against Liverpool, with tickets offered free of charge, the club said on Friday.

Home supporters will be awarded free tickets for the match on May 19 via an online ballot made up of season ticket holders.

Matches in England's top-flight have taken place behind closed doors since June, apart from a brief window late last year when small crowds were allowed before a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

But supporters will return, in a limited capacity, after May 17 in line with the government's plan to ease lockdown restrictions in England.

"This fixture is opportunity to reward our loyal season ticket holders who have shown incredible support to the club throughout the pandemic," Burnley chairman Alan Pace said in a statement https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/content/ticket-ballot-burnley-v-liverpool.

"We have therefore decided to make tickets for this fixture free of charge.

"If supporters are able to, the club is encouraging successful applications in the ballot to consider making a donation to the NHS charities."

Fans will be asked to go straight to their allocated seats and wear face masks throughout their time in the stadium. Staggered exit times will also be in place after the match.

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)