Premier League chief executive Mr Richard Scudamore is almost resigned to the fact that the dispute over television money will end up in the courts.
Players' union the Professional Footballers' Association have taken the unprecedented step of issuing strike notices to all Premiership and Nationwide league clubs.
They warned that industrial action will take place the weekend after next. Scudamore responded with a statement in which he claimed the PFA were contemplating "illegal action".
He said: "We are extremely disappointed that while continuing negotiations in good faith in the hope of finding a settlement the PFA decided to issue strike notices without our knowledge.
"Throughout the talks we have tried repeatedly to keep discussions going through not continually dragging matters into the public arena and have suffered the adverse publicity as a result.
"Because of the PFA's action we must now respond in order to protect the game and its competitions, we will have to take all steps necessary to prevent what we consider to be illegal action."
PFA chief executive Mr Gordon Taylor said: "We failed to reach an agreement and there is still a big gap between us.
"We have sent strike notices out to the chairmen of every club warning of industrial action from December 1st.
"It will affect all league games, not Cup or European matches, where there are cameras either for live transmission or recorded highlights, though there is no reason why the games cannot go ahead if the television cameras are not present."
Premiership champions Manchester United would be involved in the first match affected by any strike, with their Old Trafford clash with Chelsea due to kick off at midday on December 1st.
PA