Premier League clubs to discuss festive fixture postponement

Talks are scheduled for Monday.

Representatives from Premier League clubs are set to hold talks on Monday to decide whether to postpone an entire round of fixtures over the Christmas period. Only four out of the 10 Premier League fixtures scheduled for last weekend were played as the recent surge of Covid cases continues to wreak havoc on the fixture list.

Premier League clubs to hold talks about suspending matches.

The Athletic report that Gameweek 20 - matches scheduled to be played on December 28, 29 and 30 - is the round of fixtures most likely to be postponed. There are also reports that some clubs were pushing the league to introduce a "firebreak" which would see matches postponed until mid-January, Premier League executives will meet at 1 pm on Monday, with time also allocated for discussions both between Premier League club managers and club captains. These conversations may run on into Tuesday, the report claims. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel expressed his concerns about the situation after his team's goalless draw with Wolves on Sunday. Chelsea had asked for the game to be postponed due to an outbreak at the club, only for the league to reject the request hours before kick-off. https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1472559040383361025

Premier League hit by postponements.

"We talk a lot about safety and protecting the players," Tuchel said. "I'm not so sure we did this today." "It will hopefully stop, but it's more or less hoping," Tuchel continued. "If we have tomorrow the next positive test, I would like to speak to the people from the Premier League... [and ask] what they expect. "Let's hope that it stops. There's nothing else to do. Shall we stop and not arrive at the next game when they make us play against Brentford? Shall we not arrive? Shall we not train anymore? What shall we do?" The Athletic also point out that any postponement of Gameweek 20 may come at a cost to the Premier League, with the fixtures due to be broadcast domestically by Amazon. Amazon have paid £30m a season for their two rounds of Premier League matches and are said to be expecting the fixtures to go ahead as planned.