A recent COVID-19 outbreak amongst Premier League teams is causing a riptide of postponed fixtures, putting the EPL in a difficult scheduling situation for what’s already a busy schedule in the second half of the 2021/22 season.
Postponement Until 2022
Clubs within the English Premier League are calling for the shutdown of the Premier League until 2022 in an attempt to handle the fast-growing coronavirus situation.
Premier League bosses have been told that with case numbers rising via the omicron variant of COVID-19, the support for suspended fixtures gives them an alternative option. This could stem until January 8th – when the FA Cup third-round meetings are set to occur.
This approach would entail the postponement of four EPL matchdays, beginning this weekend and restarting the domestic schedule on January 15th.
However, with the conscious thought that squads are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks, the Premier League has made their intentions clear to continue the current schedule safely. They also highlight that the health and safety of those concerned is a top priority.
Numerous fixtures have already been postponed, including Manchester United’s visit to Brentford this past Tuesday and their weekend clash with Brighton. Thursday’s Leicester City vs. Tottenham game has also been delayed. Apparently, there were just nine first-team players available for Manchester United and seven for the Brighton fixture.
The commotion surrounding last-minute cancellations is causing concerns for clubs where supporters are making long trips over Christmas. In some cases, fans could be left with no choice but to travel back home if decisions on matches are left too late. Staying up to date with EPL news, betting odds and scheduling can be assisted by utilising sports forums, where fans can discuss the latest on-goings of their favorite clubs.
Sports betting in general will be affected by the postponed games, and the worst thing bettors can experience is having placed a bet to then realise their wagers are held by sportsbooks until a later date in 2022.
The Broadcast Schedule
The disruption from a complete shutdown reveals the EPL’s potential financial crisis regarding the broadcast contracts in place, with penalties that could follow.
During this situation, Brentford manager Thomas Frank is one of the outspoken coaches; with his squad suffering from multiple COVID-19 cases, he’s already asked for games to be suspended ahead of time.
“We think we should postpone the full round of Premier League games this weekend,” he told the media on Thursday morning. “COVID cases are going through the roof at all Premier League clubs; everyone is dealing with it and having problems.
“To postpone this round and also the Carabao Cup round would give everyone a week at least, or four or five days to clean and do everything at the training ground, so everything is clean, and you break the chain.”
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers took it a step further, accusing the Premier League of showing favouritism towards the clubs who’re being broadcast live on television. Despite his comments arriving before the postponement of his fixture against Tottenham, the EPL took a lot of pressure before cancelling this game.
Rodgers request for rescheduling was initially declined, even though his Leicester City squad saw 11 players become absent for the meeting.
When questioned about the Premier Leagues integrity and if they’re showing bias towards certain clubs, Rodger’s said: “I think you’re on the right lines. For the integrity of the competition, it’s important, but I’m pretty sure games will have been called off where teams had had fewer players unavailable than we have.”
With an opinion that aligns with a handful of others, Rodgers believes that games set for a live broadcast have influenced the early decisions on whether games are postponed or not.
“I’m pretty sure that’s the case, yes,” he said. “We all want to play the games. But, ultimately, the health of the player is the priority. That’s nothing to do with money.”
When Could Fixtures Be Played?
If enough pressure amounts on Premier League officials, they could be backed into a corner where a complete schedule cancellation is forced. But with such a rampant schedule in 2022, can the postponed games be squeezed in?
There are 15-midweek positions where postponed games could be scheduled in the new year. Still, these slots will clash with Champions League, Europa League, and Europa League knockout rounds, not forgetting the FA Cup and Carabao Cup ties.
One alternative is to scrap the Premier Leagues two-week winter break at the end of January. Perhaps the final week of the EPL season, which usually concludes on May 22nd, could be extended beyond this period?
Either way, you look at it, the season already provides a hectic schedule and slotting in these postponed games could ultimately be joined with future COVID-19 outbreaks.