Covid outbreaks across the Premier League forced officials to cancel Southampton's game in opposition to Brentford, Watford's assembly with Crystal Palace and West Ham's fixture in opposition to Norwich on Saturday. Leicester's experience to Everton on Sunday is likewise off following the past due postponement of their Thursday clash with Tottenham. Manchester United's scheduled recreation in opposition to Brighton on Saturday changed into postponed in advance on Thursday because of the Old Trafford membership's virus problems.
Five of the ten Premier League fits scheduled for the weekend have now been scratched from the agenda. A host of matches in England's lower degrees have also been postponed this week. With the new Omicron variant spreading swiftly throughout Britain, Brentford manager Thomas Frank has called for the complete weekend time table and subsequent week's League Cup suits to be postponed to permit for a "circuit damage" to assist incorporate the unfold.
But the Premier League are resisting a complete suspension of the programme, announcing in a assertion: "All different fixtures due to be played this weekend are presently scheduled to continue as deliberate." Brentford have closed their training floor because of the virus outbreak, while Watford had already postponed their journey to Burnley on Wednesday following their Covid problems.
The Hornets have an inadequate number of gamers to be had to fulfil their suits at gift. Norwich also are unable to field a full team due to Covid, accidents and other illnesses.
Leicester have the same issue and their first-crew training ground was closed on Thursday to assist contain the outbreak. "It is with regret that the Premier League Board has postponed a similarly four matches because of be performed this weekend," a Premier League announcement stated. "Earlier nowadays we announced that Manchester United's fixture in opposition to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday has also been referred to as off.
"The League is aware fans will be disillusioned those fits have needed to be postponed and apologises for the inconvenience and disruption prompted. The Board has agreed to postpone the fits after assessing character club requests this evening."
Liverpool's domestic recreation against Newcastle and Chelsea's fit towards Everton at Stamford Bridge were set to move beforehand on Thursday. Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones all have COVID at Liverpool at the same time as there has reportedly been a pandemic at Chelsea as nicely.
