Premier League might force clubs to play despite instances of COVID-19 outbreak: Report

Football has emerged as one of the worst affected sports amid the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the entire world for the past six months. The spread of COVID-19 in UK saw the suspension of league competitions for over three months, further hampering the schedule of several other competitions. However, with the new Premier League season set to kick off over the weekend, government authorities have warned against any further postponement of fixtures.

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No further fixture postponement despite COVID-19 in UK

The Premier League has warned clubs that there shall be no further postponement of fixtures in the upcoming season, despite instances of COVID-19 outbreaks in some squads. The rationale behind this decision is to avoid any further delay in an already delayed league campaign. The Premier League has informed clubs that unless a team has only 14 players available for the fixture, no requests for fixture postponement will be entertained.

According to a report by Daily Mail, the Premier League has also made it clear that any player who has played at least one minute in the competition will be included as an option for the first-team squad in the event of any unavailability due to COVID-19. The clubs are also expected to tap into their U21 resources to fulfil any holes in the squad.

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Premier League COVID cases estimated at 14, set to increase 

The Premier League is yet to release the results of pre-season testing with fears of a major outbreak as players returned to training after short trips abroad or due to their participation in the UEFA Nations League. At present, 14 players from 12 clubs have contracted COVID-19 in UK.

Although a rise in such numbers could have mandated a postponement of the competition, the Premier League has set a very high bar this time around. The Premier League will provide no relaxation whatsoever if players are found to have breached individual coronavirus protocols or are forced into mandatory self-isolation.

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Arsenal to play Fulham on opening day

The Premier League has mandated that the 2020-21 season should be completed within the stipulated time without any further delay. The competition kicks off on September 12, with Community Shield winners Arsenal set to take on Fulham in the opening game as Premier League football returns to Craven Cottage.

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Image courtesy: Liverpool Twitter