BEVERLY HILLS, December 29, (THEWILL) – There is an increasing possibility that the English Premier League could be suspended next month, as clubs are reportedly holding talks over a potential two-week break due to concerns over coronavirus outbreaks among players and staff.
Only yesterday, Manchester City’s game at Everton was postponed due to an outbreak at City while it has been reported that Fulham’s match with Tottenham on Wednesday could also be in doubt.
The frequency of these positive cases is beginning to cause some worry such that clubs have reportedly held talks over a “cooling-off” break next month due to concerns over disruption caused by the increasing numbers.
There is a high possibility that calling off that fixture between Fulham and Tottenham due to a number of positive tests at Fulham could disrupt the fixture calendar in a tight period for clubs.
To add to all that, in the latest round of regular testing, a new high of 18 new positive COVID-19 cases were recorded, with Sheffield United saying they have had several positive results at their own testing facility. This is beside the fact that Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is also self-isolating after a member of his household tested positive.
These are the reasons why the clubs view a mid-season postponement as “inevitable”.
As the infections spread across tiers in the United Kingdom, some clubs have also expressed fears that there could be multiple postponements in the FA Cup third round. But, the final say on a temporal suspension of the league could be guided by the government’s review of tiered restrictions on Wednesday.
There are two Premier League matches scheduled for Wednesday followed by a full round at the weekend and then the FA Cup third round starting on January 8.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
