[ad_1]
English football was descending into a new Covid crisis on Tuesday night, raising fears that the game could be stopped again.
Sportsmail understands that the government has been in talks with soccer authorities amid the growing number of positive tests. Premier League clubs have had informal discussions about holding a fifteen-day hiatus, in hopes that the chaos will ease.
As it stands, there are no plans to stop elite sport in the UK, but the situation is fluid. After a dramatic day, it emerged that:
It is understood that the prospect of a second suspension of action has already been discussed by the club officers.
A leading source suggested that lower league teams are already preparing to close their doors and hope that the clubs higher up the soccer pyramid will follow in time.
Allardyce said: ‘Everyone’s safety is more important than anything else. When I hear that this variant of the virus spreads 70 percent faster, we can only do the right thing.
I am 66 years old and the last thing I have to do is catch Covid-19. Players will probably get over it but it’s more difficult for someone like me, so I’m very concerned about myself and about football in general.
“We had a positive case this week. The virus seems to be creeping no matter how hard we try. If a circuit breaker helps, let’s do it and let the season drag on a little longer when we’re done.
Privately, government officials are eager to avoid a second sports lockdown, but the situation is said to be fluid as discussions between all parties continue.
Sportsmail also learned that Premier League inspectors have recently identified a number of violations of the Covid protocol, who are tasked with ensuring that clubs adhere to strict safety regulations.
Clubs have been given strict guidelines, but there are concerns that the commitment to abide by these rules has relaxed over time.
The Premier League is now expected to double down on its clubs to ensure they follow all protocols to perfection and to ensure that as many matches as possible can take place. Clubs will also increase their player and staff testing from one to two times a week from now on.
Clubs are taking it upon themselves to warn gambling staff not to compromise their own ‘biosecurity bubbles’ – they should not meet friends and family outside of the training ground.
Manchester City’s visit to Everton on Monday became the second Premier League game to be canceled this season due to an outbreak, after at least five positive cases were reported within Pep Guardiola’s team.
City are now undergoing three additional rounds of coronavirus testing in hopes of avoiding a second postponement of the Premier League in less than a week.
Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus were already self-isolating before three other anonymous players tested positive in the hours leading up to the game against Everton.
The players underwent the first of three tests yesterday in the City Football Academy parking lot and are expected to find out how widely the virus has spread through the club today. The full scope of that will be clearer after a solid program of four tests in seven days. Sportsmail understands that City are scheduled to make two more rounds before Sunday’s planned trip to Chelsea.
The game at Stamford Bridge remains in serious doubt and having to reorganize another league game would represent a logistical nightmare, with City already two games behind some top-flight teams.
Newcastle, which is still dealing with the aftermath of the virus hitting its squad, only discovered the true impact after three rounds of tests.
Like Guardiola, Steve Bruce’s side initially had two players who contracted the virus.
But those numbers subsequently shot into double digits after the same reassessment process the City has embarked on. City sources fear that the mutant variant that their players contracted in London last week is believed to be more virulent than the strain in Newcastle.
Your training base, which has undergone a deep cleaning, will remain closed if there are some positives today.
Bruce has highlighted the fatigue problems his team has suffered after a Covid outbreak, with Allan Saint-Maximin still “weeks away” from playing. Defender Fabian Schar revealed the extent of the problems players are facing and said: ‘For 10 days I felt pretty bad. I was in bed doing nothing and I felt very weak.
“ I needed some time to get over it and I didn’t expect to be on the field like I was on Boxing Day, but I felt pretty good to play.
“I had a training session with the team and I spoke to the coach and he asked me and I told him that I just wanted to play again as soon as possible.”
Everton, who were furious when Monday’s game with City was called off, are still waiting for an explanation from the Premier League.
It is also understood that other high-level clubs are eager to hear the clarification.
Everton has told their fans with tickets to the game that they will be refunded and given priority if they enter an upcoming ticket ballot.
There is a fear that more postponed matches will create chaos in the schedule, especially for those clubs still participating in European competition. A statement from the Premier League said: ‘The PL can confirm today that between Monday, December 21 and Sunday, December 27, 1,479 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19. Of these, there were 18 new positive tests. ‘
Positive tests reported by the city on Monday were not included in the latest results.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said after last night’s loss to Burnley: “This will affect us and a lot of teams. It is the beginning of something. The numbers say it.
‘The PL is doing everything possible and we will do our best.
“Nobody looks for the season to can. We are not even in our position.
‘All the numbers suggest that it is getting worse.
“It has taken its toll on the EFL. The individual clubs are doing everything possible to go out and play. “
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
[ad_2]
