English Premier League officials told clubs to return to emergency Covid-19 measures on Thursday, calling for a step up in safety measures after Brighton’s fixture with Tottenham was postponed. After no less than thirteen players and staff members have tested positive for the virus, the club issued a statement on Thursday evening confirmed the postponement of the Brighton match.
“We can confirm that our Premier League fixture at Brighton & Hove Albion, on Sunday 12 December at 2pm, has been postponed following a Premier League Board meeting this afternoon (Thursday).
“The Premier League Board took the decision to postpone the game following guidance from medical advisers, with the health of players and staff the priority. The fixture will be rescheduled in due course.
“The Club requested the match to be rearranged following a significant number of positive COVID-19 cases among players and relevant staff.”
We can confirm that our Premier League fixture at Brighton & Hove Albion, on Sunday 12 December at 14:00, has been postponed following a Premier League Board meeting this afternoon.
Full statement ⤵️
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 9, 2021
Although Premier League clubs that had reached a vaccination rate of 85 per cent had been allowed to relax restrictions, teams are being forced to abide by rigorous set of protocols. Thus, mask wearing and social distancing will be reinforced at training grounds, along with the other mandatory safety measures.
Tottenham’s Europa Conference League match against Rennes had also been postponed. The odds on Spurs plummeted on Thursday, going from 9/25 to 6/5 before the club announced that the match would be postponed.
Punters who understand how sportsbook bonuses and wagering requirements work tried to make advantage of the virus outbreak among Conte’s squad but the bets were voided after the match was postponed for more than 24 hours.
Rescheduling the Rennes game in December is difficult if not impossible, given Tottenham’s jam-packed schedule, yet UEFA rules state that the match must be played by the end of the year.
On Wednesday, December 15, Spurs will host Wolves before facing Man United at Old Trafford on Saturday, December 18. On Boxing Day, Conte’s squad will face Brentford at the Amex before heading to Stanford Bridge on December 29. And that’s not all. Tottenham will play at Everton on January 2nd.
Written by Alexandru Ion.
