Tottenham’s match with Fulham on Wednesday evening was the latest Premier League encounter to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A number of Covid cases at Fulham resulted in the match being called off, just two days after Everton vs Manchester City was postponed due to an outbreak in the City camp.
City have since resumed first-team training, but there are growing concerns more matches may need to be pushed back if clubs suffer similar issues.
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- Why the Premier League is confident fixtures can continue
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The UK recorded a second straight day of more than 50,000 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, while the Premier League confirmed there was a season-high 18 cases among players and staff on Monday.
It has led to calls for a two-week “circuit break”, with West Brom manager Sam Allardyce highlighting his own age of 66 when backing the idea of a fortnight without football.
However, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he did not believe a break would be of any benefit, asking: “When are we going to play the games?”
The Premier League is keen to persevere under the current circumstances, and already has five matches which need to be rearranged, though dates are yet to be set.
The league campaign is set to conclude on 23 May, and with the delayed European Championships scheduled to start on 11 June, there is little scope to push the final round of fixtures back without hindering the preparation of the national teams.
A look at the 2021 diary also highlights how there are precious few windows for these postponed Premier League matches to take place.
Premier League matches to be rearranged
- Aston Villa vs Newcastle
- Burnley vs Manchester United
- Everton vs Manchester City
- Manchester City vs Aston Villa
- Tottenham vs Fulham
Two matches in the shortened winter break?
Premier League clubs do not have a winter break as they did in 2019-20, where each team had one weekend and one full midweek off, but organisers did end up splitting Gameweek 18 for 2020-21 across two midweeks – 12-13 and 19-20 January.
It is not known whether the Premier League would be willing to give sides two midweek fixtures during this period, but the current schedule would allow Burnley vs Manchester United to take place on 12-13 January, while Aston Villa vs Newcastle and Everton vs Manchester City could be sandwiched in on 19-20 January, likewise Manchester City vs Aston Villa.
Tottenham and Fulham play in the opposing midweeks. As it stands, the next available date for Spurs to host Fulham would be in the week beginning 1 March, although if both clubs are knocked out of the FA Cup then 23-24 January (FA Cup fourth-round dates) or 9-10 February (fifth-round dates) could be possible.
Where could City squeeze in postponed matches?
City have a busier schedule than most already, with Pep Guardiola’s side set to face Manchester United in the League Cup semi-final on 6 January before hosting Birmingham City in the FA Cup third round on 10 January.
With City also in the Champions League, where they face Borussia Monchengladbach over two legs in the last 16 on 24 February and 16 March, finding available dates to play their two postponed Premier League matches appears to be difficult.
How far City venture in each cup competition could dictate when these two league fixtures are eventually played, but what is perhaps more alarming is that up to four more Premier League games would need to be rearranged if they reach the final of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
The Carabao Cup final is scheduled for 25 April, a day after City are set to host Southampton in the Premier League, while the FA Cup quarters, semis and final all fall on weekends where Premier League matches are currently arranged.
Were City to reach the Champions League semi-finals as well then they would only have five midweek windows to play six rearranged matches before the final weekend of the Premier League on 23 May.
For Manchester United and Tottenham it is a similar scenario given both clubs are in the Europa League and also the Carabao Cup semis.
Both United and Spurs could require further league fixtures to be rearranged if they progress in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, and how free their midweeks are will depend on how far both clubs go in Europe.
Aston Villa vs Newcastle appears to be the simplest of the postponed matches which can be rearranged given both sides are not playing in a European competition.
A look at City’s potential calendar highlights the problem, with an international break ruling out two midweek windows in late March, and raising the prospect of the club potentially playing two midweek Premier League fixtures.
City’s 2021 calendar (Potential matches in bold)
- TBC: Man City vs Aston Villa
- TBC: Everton vs Man City
January
- 3 Jan: Chelsea vs Man City – Premier League
- 6 Jan: Man Utd vs Man City – Carabao Cup semi-final
- 10 Jan: Man City vs Birmingham City – FA Cup third round
- 13 Jan: Man City vs Brighton – Premier League
- 17 Jan: Man City vs Crystal Palace – Premier League
- 23 Jan: FA Cup fourth round
- 26 Jan: West Brom vs Man City – Premier League
- 30 Jan: Man City vs Sheff Utd – Premier League
February
- 2 Feb: Burnley vs Man City – Premier League
- 6 Feb: Liverpool vs Man City – Premier League
- 10 Feb: FA Cup fifth round
- 13 Feb: Man City vs Tottenham – Premier League
- 20 Feb: Arsenal vs Man City – Premier League
- 24 Feb: B Gladbach vs Man City – Champions League last-16 first leg
- 27 Feb: Man City vs West Ham – Premier League
March
- 6 Mar: Man City vs Man Utd – Premier League
- 13 Mar: Fulham vs Man City – Premier League
- 16 Mar: Man City vs B Gladbach – Champions League last-16 second leg
- 20 Mar: FA Cup quarter-final OR Man City vs Wolves – Premier League
April
- 3 Apr: Leicester vs Man City – Premier League
- 6/7 Apr: Champions League quarter-final first leg
- 10 Apr: Man City vs Leeds – Premier League
- 13/14 Apr: Champions League quarter-final second leg
- 17 Apr: FA Cup semi-final OR Aston Villa vs Man City – Premier League
- 24 Apr: Man City vs Southampton – Premier League
- 25 Apr: Carabao Cup final
- 27/28 Apr: Champions League semi-final first leg
May
- 1 May: Crystal Palace vs Man City – Premier League
- 4/5 May: Champions League semi-final second leg
- 8 May: Man City vs Chelsea – Premier League
- 12 May: Newcastle vs Man City – Premier League
- 15 May: FA Cup final OR Brighton vs Man City – Premier League
- 23 May: Man City vs Everton – Premier League
- 29 May: Champions League final
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