Premier League POSTPONES four more matches this weekend due to Covid as pressure mounts on the top flight to pause the season amid the surge in Omicron cases
- Five of the 10 matches scheduled for the weekend have been postponed
- However Premier League is resisting calls for all matches to be called off
- Several Premier League clubs have reported Covid outbreaks this week
This weekend’s Premier League matches between Southampton and Brentford, Watford and Crystal Palace, West Ham and Norwich, and Everton against Leicester have all been postponed due to Covid-19 outbreaks, the Premier League has announced.
Alongside the earlier decision to postpone Manchester United v Brighton, it means five of the 10 matches scheduled for the weekend have been scratched from the schedule.
However, the Premier League is still resisting a complete suspension of the weekend programme and said in a statement: ‘All other fixtures due to be played this weekend are currently scheduled to proceed as planned.’
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was unable to put together a 14-man squad for Everton clash
Leicester confirmed their Premier League clash at Everton on Sunday has been postponed just hours after Thursday’s meeting with Tottenham suffered the same fate.
The Foxes are one of many top-flight clubs to suffer a Covid-19 outbreak within the squad, which left them unable to put together a 14-man squad – the League’s minimum requirement – to face Spurs.
Once Leicester announced they would be closing their training ground for 48 hours from Thursday, their chances of facing Rafael Benitez’s team at Goodison Park looked increasingly remote, as Mail Online reported on Thursday lunchtime.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has demanded that all of this weekend’s fixtures are called off
A Leicester statement read: ‘Leicester City Football Club can confirm that Sunday’s Premier League visit to Everton has now been postponed after a meeting of the Premier League Board.
‘The decision, which follows the postponement of Thursday evening’s fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, was again taken with guidance from medical advisors in light of further positive tests for COVID-19 within Leicester City’s First Team Squad over the last 24 hours.
‘First Team operations at Seagrave remain closed for a period of 48 hours to reduce the risk of further infection.
Norwich were without a number of players in Tuesday’s defeat against Aston Villa
‘The Club regrets all inconvenience caused to both Leicester City and Everton supporters by the postponement, with a new date to be confirmed in due course.’
On Wednesday manager Brendan Rodgers expressed fears that the League were prioritising their lucrative television contracts over the health of players and staff.
He said: ‘I’m pretty sure that’s the case, yeah. In terms of players, managers and coaches, we all want to play the games. But ultimately the health of a player is the priority.
‘If you have players available, you get a better product. Whatever team you put out, supporters will demand you win the game, and for some squads – ourselves included – that’s a real challenge at the moment.’
HOW OMICRON HAS THE PREMIER LEAGUE ON EDGE
Brentford
The Bees have 13 cases among players and staff – the club are now calling for a circuit-breaker shutdown to help clubs recover.
Leicester
Will be without several players for Tottenham’s visit on Thursday due to Covid. Both clubs requested the game to be postponed but were rejected.
Manchester United
Case numbers are currently unknown but a large outbreak saw their game with Brentford postponed. They have also requested Saturday’s match with Brighton to be postponed.
Brighton
Had request to have game with Wolves postponed rejected by the Premier League following an outbreak at the club. Graham Potter confirmed there were ‘three to four’ positive cases before the game.
Norwich
Dean Smith is facing an anxious wait to discover the full extent of the outbreak at the club. Currently in discussions with the Premier League over Saturday’s clash with West Ham.
Watford
Saw the game with Burnley postponed just hours before kick-off. Case numbers currently unknown.
Tottenham
Spurs were the first Premier League club to be hit by the Omicron variant last week and saw games against Brighton and Rennes postponed after cases reached double digits among players and staff. Those who tested positive for the virus are expected to return in the next couple of days after completing their 10-day self-isolation period. Spurs also requested to have Thursday’s clash with Leicester postponed but were rejected.
Chelsea
After Brentford, the Blues became the latest club to be hit by a Covid outbreak, after it was confirmed ahead of their game with Everton that three more first-team players had tested positive for Covid, with Mateo Kovacic the first Chelsea player to get the virus this week.
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