Ian Wright has hit out at criticism of the Premier League's discussions to restart the season amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying that football is too easy of a target.
On Friday the Premier League held talks about resuming play and reiterated their desire to finish 2019-20 season.
Though no date was chosen for a return, some have said the discussions are tone deaf with the UK in the middle of a public health crisis.
Wright has said that such criticism is unnecessary, as the league would never decide to resume play while it is not safe to do so.
"It seems like football is the punching bag," the former Arsenal striker told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"Lives come before anything, and the Premier League have always said, and they continue to say, [football will resume] when it’s safe to do so," Wright continued.
"When you hear people having a go at football because the Premier League are having meetings ... they have to have meetings because at some stage things have to start again.
"Just because football is a game ... it's still a business, just like other businesses are making plans to try and get themselves going again."
The Premier League has been suspended since March 13, with various solutions for completing the season on the table.
Discussions have focused on potentially voiding the 2019-20 season altogether, or fast-tracking fixtures behind closed doors in order to finish before June 30.
Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella recently suggested that he and his team-mates have been told that the league is aiming to restart in June.
“We have been told that until mid-May we will train separately,” Chirivella said during a virtual conference organised by the Valencian Football Federation.
“Then three or four weeks training with the group and if we can, we could play in June.”
Liverpool currently hold a massive 25-point advantage atop the table and could clinch their first Premier League title with just two more wins.
Plenty have suggested that no matter how the season is brought to a close, Liverpool should be awarded the title by virtue of their near-unassailable lead at the top of the league.