Everton’s clash with Manchester City has become the second Premier League game to be postponed this season as a result of the coronavirus pandemic after the virus spread to more members of City’s players and staff.
Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus had already tested positive over the festive period, but three further cases have been discovered among the City players and staff, leading to City approaching the Premier League on Monday morning to ask for their match at Goodison Park to be postponed.
“With the security of the bubble compromised, there posed a risk that the virus could spread further amongst the squad, the staff and potentially beyond,” a Man City statement said.
“All positive cases involving players and staff will observe a period of self-isolation in accordance with Premier League and UK Government protocol on quarantine.
“The first team training ground at City Football Academy will close for an indeterminate period, with the squad and associated bubble undergoing testing before any decision is made for training to resume.
“Everyone at the club wishes all of our colleagues a speedy recovery ahead of their return to work, training and competition.”
Newcastle’s clash with Aston Villa at the start of the month was postponed after a “significant increase” in Covid-19 cases at the Magpies’ training ground, while a host of EFL matches have been postponed in recent weeks as the virus has affected some clubs worse than others.
Top-level sport was told to expect a surge in Covid-19 cases from the “70 per cent” more contagious variant of Covid-19, which has seen London and the south east plunged into a new tier of restrictions.
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3pzfDid
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