Two more fixtures were postponed today as the covid crisis in the Premier League worsens. Manchester United were slated to host Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday while Thursday’s Leicester City vs Tottenham Hotspur clash was called off at the last minute.
It was the second postponement of the week for both clubs, as United’s midweek clash vs Brentford, and Tottenham’s match against Brighton last weekend were also wiped out. It remains to be seen when these matches will be rescheduled and for what dates.
Leicester vs Tottenham ?
Manchester United vs Brighton ?Two more Premier League matches have now been postponed due to Covid-19 outbreaks. pic.twitter.com/zAEA9Z1yw1
— GOAL News (@GoalNews) December 16, 2021
“Manchester United can confirm that our Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion, scheduled for Saturday Dec. 18 at 12:30 GMT, has been postponed and will be rescheduled in due course,” a club statement read.
“The health of players and staff is our priority. Given the number of players and support staff having to isolate due to COVID-19, the club had no option other than to request the match be rearranged. The Premier League Board took the decision to postpone based on guidance from medical advisors.
“We will also suspend football training operations at the Carrington Training Complex for a short period to help reduce risk of further transmission. We regret any disappointment and inconvenience caused to fans by the postponement.”
The new omicron variant is surging in the United Kingdom, and the situation is growing more serious by the day. There have been calls from various Premier League clubs to put the season on pause, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank the most publicly vocal. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called for people to get vaccinated, and their booster shots, in his match program notes.
Albion’s next game will now be against Brentford on Boxing Day. United’s next match will be at Newcastle United on the 27th.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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