The Premier League schedule was turned upside down on Thursday by the numerous cases of Covid affecting several teams, six matches having been postponed to the weekend.
Tottenham, Leicester, Manchester United, Brentford, Watford … The list of clubs whose numbers have been decimated by the coronavirus is growing hour by hour and the organizer of the English championship has decided not to take any risk. Leicester thus saw their match scheduled for Thursday either against Tottenham and counting for the 17th day, postponed to midday, before that of Sunday, at Everton, for the 18th lifting, also in the early evening.
«The club no longer has enough able-bodied first-team players to play the matchLeicester assured in the press release on his match against Spurs. The fact that Sunday’s match was also postponed was expected, given the closure for 48 hours of its training center “to help cut off (infection) circuits“. The other Matchday 18 posters that will have to wait are Manchester United v Brighton, Southampton v Brentford, West Ham v Norwich, all scheduled for Saturday. This brings to nine the number of late matches linked to the resurgence of Covid cases, while the spread in the United Kingdom of the new variant of the coronavirus, called Omicron, worries.
The Premier League is sailing on sight
Countries most affected in Europe by Covid-19 with 146,937 deaths (+146 in 24 hours), the United Kingdom recorded 88,376 new cases of Covid in 24 hours, a record since the start of the pandemic for the second consecutive day. The Premier League is sailing on sight in this very uncertain context.
«Management studies match postponement requests on a case-by-case basis, depending on the rules in force and the directives related to each club.», Explained the instance. “It takes into account several factors, such as the club’s ability to field a team, the status, severity and potential impact of epidemics within clubs and the ability of players to prepare safely for the next match.», She added.
On Wednesday, the Premier League had thus estimated that the nine absent in Leicester, for cases of Covid, but also illnesses or injuries, did not justify the postponement, to the chagrin of coach Brendan Rodgers. “We have always tried to support the measures (to fight against the Covid), but when we need a little support in the face of the extreme situation in which we find ourselves, we have not been able to receive it.“, He lamented.
Towards a postponement of the whole 18th day?
But new cases of Covid were identified on Thursday, without our exact number being known, causing her to change her mind. A blur regretted by Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp. “I absolutely do not understand why we are not more open on the subject. Lots of people are catching Covid right now, it’s a fact. If I catch it, and hope I don’t, I’ll have no problem saying it», He had assured. “Why does no one say the number of players reached? It’s always + a certain number of staff members or players +. Come on say it so everyone will understand why we can’t playHe continued.
The number of Covid cases is exploding in all clubs. Everyone is faced with this.
Thomas Frank
Danish Brentford coach Thomas Frank even called for Matchday 18 to be postponed on Thursday. “The number of Covid cases is exploding in all clubs. Everyone is faced with this (…) Postponing this day and also (the quarter-finals of) the Coupe de la Ligue (scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday) would leave everyone at least a week or four or five days to disinfect and do whatever it takes in training centers“, He pleaded. “This would break the chain (of contamination) in all clubsFrank said again.
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