All six English Clubs leave Super League

All six Premier League teams involved in the European Super League have formally withdrawn themselves from the competition.

Manchester City were the first club to pull out after Chelsea had signalled their intent to do so by preparing documentation to withdraw. The other four teams - Arsenal_ Liverpool_ Manchester United and Tottenham - have all now followed suit.

The 12-team Super League was announced on Sunday to widespread condemnation.

Manchester City confirmed they have "formally enacted the procedures to withdraw" from the Super League. Liverpool said their involvement in the proposed breakaway league "has been discontinued". Manchester United said they had "listened carefully to the reaction from our fans_ the UK government and other key stakeholders" in making their decision to not take part. Arsenal apologised in an open letter to their fans and said they had "made a mistake"_ adding they were withdrawing after listening to them and the "wider football community". Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said the club regretted the "anxiety and upset" caused by the proposal. Chelsea confirmed they have "begun the formal procedures for withdrawal from the group" that they only joined "late last week".

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin welcomed the reversal_ adding: "They are back in the fold now and I know they have a lot to offer not just to our competitions but to the whole of the European game.

"The important thing now is that we move on_ rebuild the unity that the game enjoyed before this and move forward together_" he added.

English football's 'big six' were part of a group_ also containing Spain's Atletico Madrid_ Barcelona and Real Madrid and Italy's AC Milan_ Inter Milan and Juventus_ that announced plans to form the breakaway league_ which they hoped to establish as a new midweek competition.

It was condemned by fans_ football authorities and government ministers in the UK and across Europe by Uefa and league associations. Around 1_000 fans gathered outside Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground before their game against Brighton on Tuesday to protest at their club's involvement.

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward_ who was involved in the Super League discussions_ has announced he will step down from his role at the end of 2021.

Leading players at some of the six clubs signalled their disapproval of the planned breakaway league. Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said on social media his side's "collective position" is they do not want the Super League to take place. "We don't like it and we don't want it to happen_" read a message that was also posted by many fellow Liverpool players.

After City confirmed their withdrawal_ England winger Raheem Sterling posted: "Ok bye."

Uefa had hoped to stave off the threat of a European Super League with a new 36-team Champions League_ which was agreed on Monday. In announcing their proposals for a Super League that would eventually comprise of 20 teams_ the 12-club group said the Champions League reforms did not go far enough.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez_ who was named as the ESL's chairman_ said the competition was set up "to save football" because young people are "no longer interested" in the game because of "a lot of poor quality games".

None of the Spanish and Italian sides have yet released a statement after the six Premier League teams pulled out.