LONDON, ENGLAND (REUTERS) – The Premier League fixture checklist was thrown into chaos on Thursday (Dec 16) as six video games had been postponed due to Covid-19 outbreaks, taking the full for the previous week to 9.
Leicester Metropolis’s residence sport in opposition to Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday was the primary to go adopted by Manchester United’s conflict with visiting Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Because the state of affairs escalated the Premier League introduced later that 4 extra video games this weekend – Southampton versus Brentford, Watford versus Crystal Palace, West Ham United versus Norwich Metropolis and Everton versus Leicester Metropolis – had additionally been postponed.
“The League understands followers can be disillusioned these video games have needed to be postponed and apologises for the inconvenience and disruption prompted,” an announcement mentioned.
“All different fixtures because of be performed this weekend are presently scheduled to proceed as deliberate.”
With an infection charges from the omicron variant accelerating throughout the nation and the federal government racing to ship vaccine booster jabs, the prospect of extra video games being referred to as off develop.
Earlier within the day, Brentford supervisor Thomas Frank referred to as for all Premier League video games within the coming week to be postponed to permit golf equipment to get well their depleted squads.
Tottenham, who reported 13 constructive exams amongst gamers and workers, have already had two league video games postponed, as have Manchester United, Watford and Leicester.
United’s sport at Brentford was referred to as off on Monday and in an announcement on Thursday the membership mentioned it could “droop soccer coaching operations on the Carrington Coaching Advanced for a brief interval to assist scale back danger of additional transmission”.
On Wednesday, Burnley’s residence match with Watford was referred to as off shortly earlier than kickoff after the guests reported circumstances.
TV prioritised over well being
Leicester supervisor Brendan Rodgers on Wednesday criticised the Premier League after an preliminary request to have Thursday’s sport in opposition to Tottenham postponed was turned down.
Rodgers, who had 9 gamers unavailable, mentioned profitable TV offers had been being prioritised over the well being of gamers.
“I am fairly positive that is the case,” Rodgers instructed reporters when requested. “By way of gamers, managers and coaches, all of us wish to play the video games. In the end, the well being of a participant is the precedence. If gamers can be found, you get a greater product.”
The Premier League mentioned the choice to grant a postponement got here after Leicester reported extra circumstances and had been left with an “inadequate variety of gamers obtainable to fulfil the sport.”
On Monday, the Premier League mentioned it was re-introducing emergency measures after a document 42 Covid-19 infections had been recorded up to now week amongst gamers and workers.
Gamers now must take lateral move exams daily and two PCR exams per week.
League guidelines state that if a staff can not elevate 14 gamers then a sport might be postponed though different elements, reminiscent of affect on preparation and whether or not or not there was an “uncontrollable outbreak” are taken into consideration.
The Premier League’s coverage is to deal with postponements on a case-by-case foundation.
Explaining the most recent 4 postponements, the league mentioned Brentford and Watford had been coping with ongoing outbreaks and had closed their coaching grounds, whereas backside membership Norwich had an inadequate variety of gamers owing to Covid-19, accidents and sickness.
‘By means of the roof’
Brighton, who misplaced 1-0 at residence to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday, had tried unsuccessfully to have that sport postponed due to Covid-19 circumstances.
Talking on Thursday, Brentford boss Frank mentioned he was coping with 13 circumstances on the London membership.
“The Covid circumstances are going via the roof in any respect Premier League golf equipment,” he instructed a information convention.
“Everyone seems to be coping with it and everybody has an issue at this second in time. To postpone this spherical (of Premier League video games) and the Carabao (League) Cup would give everybody per week not less than to wash and do every thing on the coaching floor so every thing is okay and we break the chain at each membership.”
Two extra Premier League video games are scheduled for in a while Thursday with Liverpool internet hosting Newcastle United and Chelsea at residence to Everton.
Liverpool had been with out three gamers after suspected constructive exams whereas Chelsea’s preparations had been hit with 4 gamers unavailable.
December and the vacation season is historically a packed programme for English soccer, with many video games proven on reside TV. However the bumper schedule might be shredded by the wave of infections sweeping via golf equipment.
Britain reported a document variety of new Covid-19 infections for the second day working on Thursday with 88,000 new circumstances.
With so many video games being postponed, the query of gamers’vaccination standing has once more been raised.
The Premier League’s final launched information in mid-October mentioned 81 per cent of gamers had obtained not less than one Covid-19 vaccination dose with 68 per cent double vaccinated.
The English Soccer League launched its newest vaccination figures on Thursday, revealing that 25 per cent of gamers in November mentioned they weren’t desiring to get vaccinated.
