SPORTS AGENDA: Merseyside shuns Premier League amid Everton controversy

It would appear that relations between the Premier League and Merseyside — the blue half at least — remain seriously strained.

Agenda has learned that the next meeting of the European Leagues is to be hosted by England’s top flight and that Liverpool had been chosen as the venue.

However, insiders have disclosed that, such is the disdain for the competition in parts of the city after the Toffees were docked 10 points for breaching financial rules, no venue was willing to host the event. Instead, it is now likely to be held in London.

Premier League sources say the move was made amid logistical concerns and that Liverpool was only ever a provisional venue.

Meanwhile, the city’s John Lennon Airport also appears to have waded into the row. Last week it joked on social media that all was quiet on transfer deadline day — before cheekily adding that they won’t be seeing PL chief executive Richard Masters as ‘he’s banned until Everton get their 10 points back’.

A nice moment at the press conference after Burnley’s 2-2 comeback draw with Fulham, where 13-year-old guest of honour and lifelong Claret Hughie Higginson was one of the interested onlookers.

Hughie and best pal Freddie Xavi have raised more than £350,000 for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, which treated Hughie after he was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Before the presser, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany told Hughie, who recently received the all-clear, that he wanted a question from him and that he had five minutes to come up with a good one. The brave youngster did not disappoint.

‘Maxime Esteve had a really good debut,’ he observed before adding, ‘do you think one day he can be as great as you?’ Kompany burst into laughter before telling Hughie he had delivered the