COVID-19 pandemic crisis talks will take place on Monday amongst Premier League clubs.
In the last week, nine games have been postponed, including five from this weekend’s 10-match fixture list. Clubs are eager to meet and discuss the various options available.
Thomas Frank, the manager of Brentford, spearheaded appeals for all games to be postponed until Boxing Day in order to provide for a fresh start.
What Are Premier League Club Managers Saying?
Some say the break should be longer, while others, like Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool, believe it should not occur.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remarked that the situation needs to be clear for all Premier League Clubs.
“The regulators will make the decision over whether a game is played or not but we all need to understand the reasons behind it,” BBC quotes him.
“We are going to have to find a way. We knew when we started the season this [Covid problems] could be a possibility and I am sure there was a Plan A, B and C.
Tottenham have advantage over Arsenal – Mikel Arteta. PHOTO: HITC
“We have the AFCON [African Cup of Nations] as well, we know the date of the World Cup coming, so we need a flexible calendar now because this world is not the world we used to live in a few years ago. We need clarity.” “This world is very different from the one we used to live in a few years ago, and we need a flexible timetable to keep up with the pace of change. We need to get to the bottom of this.”
Premier League Stand
On Thursday, the Premier League stated that it intended to continue playing matches as long as it is safe to do so.
Aside from the fact that matches may be postponed or cancelled, the meeting will not be solely focused on these issues. The rescheduling of games that have already been postponed is also a problem.
With regard to African Cup of Nations and January World Cup qualifiers outside Europe, concerns have been raised over player release dates for the latter two events.
As a result of UEFA’s publication of the Nations League dates on Friday, the packed match schedule was once again highlighted.
One week after the Champions League final on May 28th, England’s first match in Hungary will take place, which is a week after the final round of Premier League fixtures on May 22nd.
Only two midweeks remain before the end of the season, thanks to European games, EFL Cup semi-finals, FA Cup fifth-round replays, and earlier rounds.
Due to the late stages of domestic cup competitions clashing with league games, certain midweeks were meant for rescheduling matches that had to be shifted.
What Jurgen Klopp Thinks About Postponing Matches
Despite the rising number of COVID-19 instances in the Premier League, Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp says he doesn’t think it’s in anyone’s best interest to suspend the competition.
While Klopp had three players withdraw from Thursday’s 3-1 win over Newcastle, five of the weekend’s 10 Premier League meetings were postponed.
Klopp claims that all of his players have been vaccinated twice and that some have had boosters. With the current schedule, Klopp argues, Premier League clubs should be more adaptable in their approach.
He says this is the most difficult period but clubs have managed to keep the virus away with its testing regimes and strict disciplinary measures for players.
Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp. Photo/Marca
Liverpool faces two Premier League games in three days, while Klopp is also concerned about meeting Shrewsbury in the FA Cup in January because to the English Football League’s poor vaccination rate.
In spite of the absence of Fabinho, Curtis Jones and Virgil van Dijk for Thursday’s game, Klopp insists that Liverpool did not request a postponement.
The Liverpool boss says it is improbable that once a player contracts COVID, that it stays with three players. His logic is that it may spread to another three or four, “then you have 13 guys eligible to play on the 26th and 28th and that is inconceivable.”
What Newcastle Manager Eddie Howe Thinks
All games should either be postponed or continue to be played, according to Newcastle manager Eddie Howe. He says there is no need for half of the games to be contested and another half to be snubbed.
Howe argues that if the league is disjointed, it loses something, therefore, It is imperative that a decision be taken for the sake of the league.
After the postponement of Thursday’s game against Leicester, Liverpool will play Tottenham on Sunday before facing the Foxes in the Carabao Cup on December 22nd.
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