Leicester City vs. Tottenham postponed as Premier League struggles to keep fixture list

Leicester City’s game against Tottenham has been postponed, the fourth game since last Sunday to be fouled with a wave of COVID-19 that has wiped out the Premier League.

Leicester have seen further positive cases from nine players being sidelined with illness or the virus yesterday while Tottenham are just recovering from a severe coronavirus outbreak that made their clash with Brighton on Sunday is suspended. Both sides requested a postponement of the game earlier in the week – Tottenham so they could complete the Europa Conference League tie against Rennes – but those requests were denied by the Premier League.

However, a second request from Leicester, who closed their training ground for 48 hours, has now been accepted amid calls by the federation for broader action and the postponement of weekend games. It is a move the Premier League takes with extreme reluctance but the record numbers of positive tests may still force them to act.

In a statement, the Premier League said: “The Premier League leadership has postponed Leicester City’s match against Tottenham Hotspur tonight due to an increase in positive COVID-19 cases in Leicester’s squad today. new information, Leicester have applied this morning for a schedule that will be postponed due to an ongoing outbreak within the team, resulting in many players and staff testing positive for COVID-19 today .

“This leaves the club without enough players to play.

“The Premier League understands that this decision will be disappointing and disappointing for the fans present at tonight’s game and apologizes for the inconvenience and disruption caused at such short notice.”

Thursday’s game was the third on the midweek schedule to be removed from the schedule due to the COVID-19 outbreak in one team. Manchester United have postponed their trip to Brentford on Monday night and Burnley’s trip to Watford has been postponed several hours before kick-off after a number of positive games in the hosts. Chelsea’s game against Everton on Thursday is currently underway but positive circumstances among the former squad have cast doubt on that schedule.

In light of what is likely to be requested by clubs to withdraw from the squad, the Premier League added: “The board evaluates applications to postpone matches on a case-by-case basis, based on existing rules. Yes and COVID -19 postponement guidance is issued for all clubs.It will assess a number of factors, including a club’s ability to host a team; status, severity and the potential impact of the COVID-19 outbreak at the club; and the ability of players to prepare and play matches safely.

“The board must also consider the larger risks to the opposition and others the club may come into contact with. With the health and well-being of all players and staff a priority , and due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases across the Country, The Premier League has re-imposed emergency measures.“

These include procedures such as checking in more often, wearing a face covering while indoors, observing social distancing, and limiting treatment time.

It will be Tottenham’s third game this season to be postponed due to the COVID case and bad weather in Burnley last month causing that match to be postponed at the last minute. In the medium term, Antonio Conte’s men will face a schedule headache with a lot of extra time, but the Italian has expressed his desire for the Leicester match to be rescheduled.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Conte said: “The Premier League doesn’t want to postpone the game against Leicester, perhaps because we have to play against Burnley and Brighton. On the one hand we can understand that. I can understand that. think so we deserved to be given a chance against Rennes and failed to find a good solution between UEFA and Premier League Why should Tottenham pay for this?

“It’s not fair that we have to pay for a situation that is not our fault. I understand if we did something wrong. We have to be ready to accept any decision. For the club , for the players, for me and my staff, it was very difficult to understand what was going on.”

Meanwhile, Brentford coach Thomas Frank has called for all games between Thursday and December 26 to be postponed as his side’s battle flares up. The Bees had 13 individuals tested positive, a number that increased midway through the press conference when Dane was interrupted by a message from his director of football Phil Giles informing him of the 4 schools. new one night only.

Frank said: “We think we should postpone all Premier League games this weekend. “COVID cases are happening in all the Premier League clubs; everyone is dealing with it and having problems.

“To postpone this round and the whole Carabao Cup round [next Tuesday and Wednesday] will give everyone at least a week, or four or five days to clean up and do things at the training ground so everything is clean and you break the chain. “

Two Championship weekend games – Millwall vs. Preston and Reading vs. Luton – has been postponed. Matches can be played in front of a dwindling crowd and Britons are now advised not to attend football matches even if there aren’t any limits on attendance. Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS England’s primary care medical director, says that the only reason to attend a football stadium is when they are used as vaccination centres.

“My advice is, if you’re going to a stadium on the weekend, make it a place where you can get vaccinated or help get vaccinated, instead of going to a game,” she said. speak.