MEN
The Premier League will continue with its festive schedule over Christmas and the New Year despite rising Covid-19 rates in the UK.
Clubs rejected the idea of suspending the season after some clubs floated the ideal of a ‘firebreak’ last week to ease the rate of infection of the Omicron variant.
The Football Association is understood to have agreed to scrap FA Cup third round and fourth round replays to ease the fixture congestion.
Premier League clubs who have at least 14 first-team players (13 outfield players and one goalkeeper) available must fulfil fixtures. Chelsea requested their fixture at Wolves on Sunday be postponed yet still selected a 17-man matchday squad devoid of any Under-23 additions.
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish and Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear both voiced their support for the continuation of the season last week.
Manchester United’s fixtures against Brentford and Brighton were both postponed last week due to a Covid outbreak in the first-team squad and six Premier League matches over the weekend were postponed for the same reason.
The Manchester Evening News reported last week some clubs had touted the prospect of shutting down…
