Premier League to go ahead with fixtures

LONDON • There will be no change to the traditional festive schedule of the Premier League, after the 20 top-flight clubs yesterday agreed to continue playing games throughout the Christmas period till the new year.

Despite a surge in Covid-19 cases, driven primarily by the Omicron variant and resulting in six fixtures last weekend being postponed - 10 in total have been pushed back - the majority of teams do not want a breather to let the situation settle, according to multiple British media reports.

A virtual meeting was held yesterday to discuss various options, including moving one round of fixtures and halting the season, but none of the presented options were voted upon.

Fourteen out of 20 clubs must vote in favour in order for a break to be implemented.

Clubs are set to play three times in the league, on top of the League Cup quarter-finals, between Boxing Day and Jan 3, but the crisis remains serious as 12 teams were unable to name a full-strength side over the weekend.

They will be expected to play games so long as they have 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper, the BBC said.

Eligible Under-21 players are to make up the numbers in the scenario that first-team regulars are ruled out through Covid-19, injury or illness.

The league also insisted that non-first-team matches, such as Under-23 games, should not be scheduled in the lead-up to a top-flight game to ensure as many players are available as possible.

However, there could be some adjustment of the schedule for cup games, with talks between clubs and authorities to scrap FA Cup replays in the third and fourth rounds, and reduce League Cup semi-finals to one-legged affairs ongoing.

To combat Omicron, the league has ramped up testing. Players and staff are now tested every day, using antigen rapid tests. In addition, they undergo polymerase chain reaction tests one day before a match, although these results are only returned on the morning of a game.

A review of the situation will be made in a fortnight's time.

On the decision to carry on, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said: "I will support the doctors and scientists and the Premier League's decision.

"I see people in the street, nobody wearing a mask, nobody social distancing. That's why it (infections) will happen sooner or later.

"We try to create a good environment to realise the danger is still here. We have to try it knowing it's not easy, it's a problem worldwide that's still there. The virus is there, the new variant."

Still, with players in self-isolation and the league taking top priority, other competitions like the League Cup may have to be sacrificed, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hinted.

The Reds host Leicester City in the last eight tomorrow but may well field a weakened team.

Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho missed Sunday's league draw at Tottenham Hotspur after being placed in Covid-19 protocols and the quartet are doubtful for the Foxes match.

Hinting he would have no choice but to rotate heavily, Klopp said: "It's impossible, we don't have the players. We have to think we will get an extra case or two. We cannot just push it all through... We would prefer to play but we need help with the fixtures."

REUTERS