The match between Liverpool and Leeds scheduled for Sunday for the 19th day of the Premier League is postponed due to cases of Covid-19 detected in the Peacocks. The match between Wolverhampton and Watford, scheduled for the same day, will not be played on Boxing Day following a request from the Hornets, also affected by the resurgence of the epidemic.
The Premier League is to hold two meetings on Thursday afternoon to discuss player welfare and fixture congestion.
One meeting will take place at 4pm with all Premier League managers and the other one is with captains and senior players.
Managers and players are concerned about the number of games they have to play in quick succession during the Christmas holiday period because of the demands it is putting on squads which have been reduced in size as a result of Covid-19.
They feel they are being put in an impossible position by being asked to play three games between Boxing Day and January 2. Premier League rules say teams have to fulfil fixtures if they have 14 fit players.
Jordan Henderson: “I am worried about player welfare and I don’t think anybody does take that seriously enough, especially in this period, when Covid is here”; Liverpool’s 2-2 draw away at Tottenham was one of only four fixtures that went ahead in the Premier League last weekend.
Aston Villa’s home Premier League game against Burnley was postponed on Saturday due to rising cases at the club; Steven Gerrard is confident Boxing Day fixture can go ahead, but is struggling to work effectively in the current conditions.
