Covid: Premier League games to continue over Christmas despite 90 cases in past week
ITV News Correspondent Dan Rivers outlines the concerns from some football clubs despite the decision to go ahead with Boxing Day matches
Premier League clubs will continue to try and play through the festive period, despite the ongoing disruption to fixtures with 90 confirmed Covid cases among players and staff recorded last week.
The option to postpone a round of games starting from December 28 was said to be a possibility discussed on Monday at a crunch shareholders meeting with the representatives of the league's 20 clubs.
Six of the 10 matches due to be played in the top flight last weekend were postponed because of outbreaks within clubs.
However, following deliberation on Monday, a majority of clubs were in favour of playing, saying in a statement: "It is the league’s collective intention to continue the current fixture schedule where safely possible."
"The health and wellbeing of all concerned remains our priority and the league will continue to monitor and reflect public health guidance, always proceeding with caution," it read.
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The league also provided an update on vaccination rates among top-flight players and staff.
It was revealed that 92% of Premier League players and club staff have received one, two or three Covid vaccination doses (up from 81% in October).
Still 16% of players have yet to receive a single vaccine dose, with the remaining 84% described by the league as being “on the vaccination journey”.
Football League bosses also confirmed the Carabao Cup and EFL fixtures would continue over the festive period, in an effort to minimise fixture rescheduling.
“With club mitigation measures, the mass adoption of booster jabs and Covid certification now required for larger crowds, we are sure many fans will continue to feel confident in attending matches over the Christmas period and we look forward to welcoming them," said English Football League (EFL) chief executive Trevor Birch.
The Football Association, meanwhile, confirmed that replays will be scrapped in the third and fourth rounds of this season’s FA Cup to try to help ease potential congestion. Ties will now be played to a conclusion at the first attempt, with extra-time and penalties if necessary.
So far, the league has been considering applications for postponements on a case-by-case basis but there has been criticism over the decision process, which has left some matches called off hours before kick-off.
The ongoing disruption has led some managers to question the feasibility of matches going ahead over the Christmas period, given the number of staff and players having to isolate after positive tests.
The positive cases come as the highly transmissible Omicron variant sweeps the country, with the UK reporting more than 90,000 new cases of Covid for the third time in just seven days on Monday.
Amid the increase in infections, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel led criticism from Premier League clubs at the weekend, with the Blues “deeply disappointed” to have their request for a postponement at Wolves on Sunday rejected.
Chelsea were missing eight players with Covid-related absences, and could only field 14 outfield players in their match squad. Tuchel accused the Premier League of risking the health and safety of his players, fearing further matches would be thrown into doubt.
Following Sunday's draw at Tottenham, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp added to criticism, saying playing on the 26 and 28 December was not practical.
He is among those who would be in favour of a break if it meant players got their booster jabs. “If everybody gets boosted and it is two weeks at home and we have no more cases then fine, let’s go home and wait for that," Klopp said.