Premier League clubs to change Covid-19 guidance after postponements row

premier league clubs

credit: Premier League

Premier League clubs will now have to show four positive cases of Covid-19 in order to apply for match postponements after the sides agreed to make changes to the rules currently in place. Clubs held a meeting on Wednesday 26 January to discuss the arrangements after a string of matches being controversially moved back.
So far there have been 22 matches called off in the Premier League under the current criteria since the Omicron variant led to a spike in cases among staff and players at the clubs. The last match to be called off was the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham on 16 January, which drew criticism from Spurs.
The request to postpone the game was accepted by the League, with Mikel Arteta’s side citing “COVID, injuries and players away with their countries at AFCON”, which under the current rules was allowed. However, Tottenham said it was surprised at the accepted application and Gary Neville said Arsenal’s claim should have been rejected.
Under the previous rules, where Premier League clubs could not field 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper either from its squad list or its appropriately experienced under-21 players, the match would be postponed. At least one of the unavailable players had to have tested positive for COVID-19.
Now under the new structure, at least four of the absent players that create a lack of an eligible team must be positive Covid-19 cases. It was announced on Monday that the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the Premier League had fallen for the fourth week in a row.
In the seven days up to and including 23 January, there were 16 new cases among players and staff, from 6,221 tests – the lowest number of infections in a week since 5 December.
The new guidance will come into effect ahead of the next round of Premier League fixtures, on 5 February, as reported by Sky News. In recent weeks, former Premier League players, including Sky Sports’ pundits Jamie Carragher and Neville, have been vocal critics of the slew of postponements. They both spoke to Friday Night Football and said Premier League Clubs need to stop making excuses.
“I honestly believe that all teams, not just in the Premier League but the EFL now, must be made to play their fixtures,” said Neville. “If it was purely down to COVID in extraordinary circumstances where there was 10 or 15 players out, but we’re now talking about teams for the last few weeks where there’s no doubt they’ve been calling games off based upon whether they think they’ve got the best squad or team to win a game. It’s got to stop.
“Manchester United and other teams have got 30 to 40 players in their squad – I’m not having they can’t get 13 to 16 players together.
“It has to stop now this and we have to make teams play.”
While Carragher said: “If it’s an outbreak of COVID and it’s decimated the squad I can understand that, but players being in the AFCON tournament and just normal injuries, that’s got nothing to do with it.
“I know there’s a lot riding on Premier League games but at this moment there’s no doubt teams up and down this country are taking advantage of the situation.”


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Claire Gordon

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