The ex-Portsmouth boss who could be in charge of Salford for the EFL Trophy final - if the bookies are correct

The Covid-19 pandemic meant the highly-anticipated Wembley clash on April 5 was postponed amid the shutdown of football.

With more than 50,000 members of the Fratton faithful snapping up tickets, the plan was for the showdown to go ahead when spectators are allowed back in stadia.

As revealed by The News, however, those hopes are now fading and it looks likely the game will take place behind closed doors.

Not only that but both sides will look different following the summer transfer window.

For Pompey, the likes of Callum Johnson and Michael Jacobs could make appearances at the national stadium they’d not expected six months ago, having completed moves to the south coast this summer.

The same can be said for Ian Henderson, Tom Clarke and Jason Lowe among others who joined Salford during the transfer window.

What's more, the Ammies will have a different manager at the helm to the one who guided them to Wembley.

Earlier this month, Salford sacked Graham Alexander – despite sitting fifth in the League Two table.

Part-owner Paul Scholes is currently serving as interim manager as the Greater Manchester outfit continue to search for the right candidate to achieve their goal of promotion.

Not only that but the new man will be tasked of delivering the EFL Trophy.

And if the bookies are right then it could be a familiar face looking to plot Pompey's downfall in the opposite Wembley dugout.

Paul Cook is among the front-runners with the bookmakers to become the next manager at the Peninsula Stadium.

He's currently 6/4 favourite with Paddy Power while Sky Bet have him as 9/4 third third-favourite behind Swindon boss Richie Wellens and Salford development-squad chief Warren Joyce.

Cook left Fratton Park for Wigan less than a month after guiding the Blues to the League Two title in 2017.

He spent three seasons in the hot seat at the DW Stadium, winning the League One crown in 2018.

However, the Latics were relegated from the Championship at the end of last season, despite finishing in 13th place.

After entering administration, they were hit with a 12-point deduction and banished to the third tier.

That led to Cook resigning from the crisis club, with Wigan subsequently selling off their prized assets for cut-price deals to pay debts – including ex-Pompey favourite Jamal Lowe to Swansea for just £800,000.

The Liverpudlian remains out of a managerial job, although he has appeared regularly as a pundit for Sky Sports while out of work.

Speaking recently, Cook admitted that he ideally wants his next role to be in the Championship but wants to manage a side that has 'good owners, with good people' who he can help progress.

He said: ‘I want to manage again, I'm desperate to get back in.

‘I just want to manage again at a club where you go into work every day with good owners, with good people, hopefully to progress a football team that if I take over them today, I can make them better tomorrow.

‘So let's see where that goes. I'd like to manage in the Championship. I think when you've been in the Championship for a few years it's waters that you enjoy.’