Everton asked for the cancellation, it said in the message from the Premier League on Christmas Eve. Since there are also other injured players in the team affected by corona cases, there are no longer enough professionals available for the game in Burnley.
There were actually nine games for Boxing Day on December 26th – in presumably sold out stadiums everywhere. But already on Thursday (23.12.2021) the encounters of the FC had to Liverpool against Leeds United such as Wolverhampton Wanderers against FC Watford due to corona outbreaks. According to the announcement, the move was at the request of Leeds and Watford.
“The board of directors has concluded that Leeds will not be able to play over the weekend due to Covid-19 cases, injuries and illness. In addition, the club’s training area was closed “announced the league. Watford would also not have enough players available. It is assumed, however, that the London club’s game on December 28th could take place as planned.
Critique from Jürgen Klopp
Previously, Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp had been very annoyed about the appointments. “Even in normal times I don’t think it’s right. In the current situation, insisting on playing games within two days feels wrong.”said Klopp and became even clearer: “Every team has dealt with Covid. We can’t put our hands in front of our eyes and pretend the situation is normal. It’s not. It’s extraordinary. And on that basis, I beg those in power to do something to change. “
“If what I’m saying helped more, I would say it more often. But it doesn’t change anything”he scolded: “The only thing I get with it is headlines. But they never get to the right place.” Namely with the associations. “I have not only started worrying about the well-being of the players this year”said Klopp, “I’ve been talking about it for six years or more.” But he is simply not heard at FIFA, UEFA or the Premier League. That annoys him. And properly. “I cannot see that there will be changes”, he said on Wednesday evening (December 22nd, 2021) and laughed sarcastically.
Absurd appointment hunt for Liverpool FC
Shortly before, his “Reds“with a dramatic 5: 4 iE against Leicester City reached the semi-finals of the league cup – and thus increased the hunt for appointments into the grotesque. Omikron has long kept the whole country in suspense, numerous clubs are groaning under the additional burden of more and more positive tests. A renewed exclusion of fans is no longer a taboo.
The only thing is: Klopp’s words will go unheard. That became clear on Monday when all clubs in the league spoke out against postponing the Boxing Day spectacle at a crisis summit. And, mind you, under the fresh impression that six out of ten games had to be canceled due to corona cases the previous weekend.
Thomas Tuchel also complained
“We test ourselves every day. And every day you may not even make it to the office. It’s a lottery”said coach Thomas Tuchel. At his FC Chelsea the corona virus in Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku paralyzed the entire storm. On Boxing Day at Aston Villa it could be available again.
The coach duel with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has to serve almost as a top game in the absence of other constellations. League leader Manchester city receives Leicester, Ralf Rangnick is with Manchester United after a 16-day forced Corona break only on Monday Newcastle required.
Tight schedule of the Premier League
The problem with the Premier League is that given the tight schedule, they just don’t know where to move the games. “I don’t have a solution for the league either”, admitted Tuchel. Politics is not in the way of a full game plan with full stadiums for the time being. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced in the middle of the week that the situation was still too unclear for new corona restrictions. On January 2nd, the game between Chelsea and Liverpool will be allowed to stand for the first time in 28 years.
dpa / sid / red
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Status: December 24th, 2021, 1:36 pm