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Everton will request “full disclosure” of the information Manchester City provided to the Premier League, leading to the late postponement of Monday night’s Premier League match at Goodison Park.
The club was frustrated and disappointed after the match was canceled just four hours before its scheduled 8 p.m. start after City reported more positive cases of Covid-19, which are understood to involve three other players from the first. team.
The Palestinian Authority news agency understands that Everton was not aware of any other problems related to the change in the status of the coronavirus in the City, which already had Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus isolated after testing positive, as of Monday for the afternoon.
By then, the Premier League had called a hastily arranged board meeting, at which it was agreed to postpone the match.
Goodison Park is one of only two fields in the Premier League, the other being Anfield, which can admit supporters and the Toffees had all the necessary preparations, including administration and surveillance, to host 2,000 fans on Monday.
“Everton Football Club regrets the postponement of tonight’s match against Manchester City, not only because of the 2,000 fans who would have attended, but because of fans from Merseyside and around the world,” said a statement.
“Our players were prepared for the game, as were the team staff and everyone at Goodison.
“The day is the most important date on our calendar. And this was a big one.
“While Everton will always have public safety above all else, we will request full disclosure of all information that Manchester City provided to the Premier League so that the club can be clear about why this decision was made.”
Three days after Walker and Jesus were among the four people who tested positive, the City announced that another round of testing had “returned several positive cases.”
By then the club had already submitted – and was granted – a request to postpone the match.
“With the security of the bubble compromised, there was a risk that the virus would spread further among equipment, personnel, and potentially beyond,” said a City statement.
“Based on strong medical advice, the Premier League, in consultation with both clubs, has decided to postpone the match.”
The Premier League, in accepting the postponement, insisted that the health of the players and staff was paramount.
“The board agreed to reorganize the game as a precautionary measure, and more tests will be carried out tomorrow,” a statement said.
“The decision was made with the health of the players and staff as a priority.”
Runners-up Everton, who could have tied their neighbor Liverpool on points at the top of the table with a win, had no say in the decision to postpone the match.
It is the second Premier League game this season to be postponed due to an increase in coronavirus cases, with Aston Villa against Newcastle, to be played on December 4, canceled due to cases within the Newcastle camp.
The Premier League statement added: “The Premier League continues to have full confidence in its protocols and rules, and in the way all clubs are implementing them.
“The League wishes those with Covid-19 a speedy and safe recovery and will reorganize the postponed match against Everton in due course.”
City’s training ground will be closed for the foreseeable future, and the rest of the team will have to undergo additional testing before any potential comeback can be considered.
“All positive cases involving players and staff will observe a period of self-isolation in accordance with the quarantine protocol of the Premier League and the UK government,” the City’s statement continued.
“The first team training ground at City Football Academy will be closed for an indefinite period, and the team and associated bubble will undergo testing before a decision is made to resume training.”
City’s next game will be in Chelsea on Sunday, followed by the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday 6 January.
Competition rules allow for the semi-final to be reorganized, and since the final has been postponed to April, there is more room for maneuver if the quarter-final clash needs to be rescheduled.
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