Coronavirus claims Manchester City’s Women’s Super League match against West Ham

Manchester City have confirmed their Women’s Super League game against West Ham this weekend has been postponed due to positive coronavirus tests at the club.

City were scheduled to play West Ham at home on Saturday, but after four players or staff members tested positive the game has been called off, the club said.

A club statement read: “Manchester City FC can confirm that Saturday’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture against West Ham United has been postponed.

“The Football Association have decided to postpone the match following four positive Covid-19 cases and a number of other mitigating factors affecting the City squad. A new date for the game will be confirmed in due course.”

City confirmed on Wednesday that the number of players in their men’s squad had risen to eight since Christmas Day.

Back-up goalkeeper Scott Carson and 18-year-old midfielder Cole Palmer are the latest members of the men’s squad affected by the recent Covid-19 outbreak at the club.

The top two tiers of women’s football will continue following the announcement of a new national lockdown on Monday, while tier three to seven down to grassroots have been suspended.

The Vitality Women’s FA Cup has also been halted as it is classed as non-elite at this stage of the competition.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough’s preparations for their FA Cup third round trip to Brentford have been disrupted by a series of positive tests.

The club, whose manager Neil Warnock contracted the virus last year, revealed that its Rockliffe Park training headquarters was effectively closed on Monday after cases among first-team staff and players had been confirmed, and a further round of testing, which also included under-23s players, took place on Thursday morning with the results expected before the weekend.

A statement on the club’s official website said: “Our Emirates FA Cup preparations have been hit by positive tests for Covid-19 among first team players and staff this week.

“A round of testing was undertaken by the club of its own volition at the start of the week and a number of positive tests were returned.

“As a result, the training ground has been effectively closed since Monday and the first team have been unable to carry out any work on the Rockliffe pitches ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup trip to Brentford (6pm).

“Further mandatory tests took place on Thursday morning with the results expected ahead of the weekend. The club’s under-23 squad also joined the first team squad and staff in undergoing tests ahead of the cup tie.”