Manchester United match postponed as Premier League announces record 42 COVID positives
Manchester United's match at Brentford on Tuesday has been postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak on Man U, the club announced on Monday.
Man U hasn't been able to practice since last week. According to The Athletic, the first positive tests came on Sunday, which resulted in the players being sent home from the training facility. To try and limit the spread of the virus, the team's training facility was closed on Monday for 24 hours. Then on Tuesday, the club announced in a statement that its match against Brentford would be postponed and rescheduled at a later date.
“Our Premier League fixture at Brentford on Tuesday 14 December has been postponed and will be rescheduled in due course,” the club statement said via the Guardian.
“Following PCR confirmation of positive LFT Covid-19 tests among the first-team staff and players, the outbreak requires ongoing surveillance. A decision was taken to close first-team operations at Carrington for 24 hours to help minimise risk of further infection, and individuals who tested positive are isolating in line with Premier League protocols.”
“Given cancellation of training and disruption to the squad, and with the health of players and staff the priority, the club requested the match to be rearranged. The Premier League board took the decision to postpone based on guidance from medical advisors.”
Premier League announces record-high COVID positives
Man U isn't the first club to have COVID troubles lately. Numerous others have had to postpone matches and cancel practices due to positive COVID-19 tests. Aston Villa cancelled their practice on Sunday due to positive tests on the team. Tottenham Hotspur postponed two matches due to a "significant" number of positives among players and staff, and it's not known whether their Thursday match against Leicester will go forward.
Despite that, it was still a shock to the system when the Premier League announced that it had 42 positive tests over the past week, more than three times the number they had the previous week (12). Forty-two positives in one week is a new high.
Due to the outbreaks, the Premier League has announced that all clubs will now return to "emergency measures." Regardless of vaccination status, players, coaches, and staff will now be required to wear masks while indoors or traveling. Players will be required to socially distance, and testing will now be daily.
