Premier League clubs agree to execute Boxing Day fixtures, FA Cup replay scrapped

Despite having over 90 positive Covid results last week, Premier League and EFL Club sides have decided to go ahead with the festive period fixtures.

Nothing less than six Premier League matches were postponed over the weekend because of infections that affected several teams.

Only matches involving Leeds United and Arsenal Chelsea against Wolverhampton Newcastle and Manchester City as well as Liverpool against Tottenham were the only ones that went ahead.

A meeting involving all 20 club sides on Monday saw the agreement to see games in the festive period through. From boxing day, two rounds of matches will be played in the premier league across five days.

Chelsea and Liverpool were both affected by shallows squads at the weekend as both Thomas Tuchel and Jürgen Klopp called for the postponement of their games.

However, both teams went on to play draws on Sunday, including a 0-0 draw with Wolves for Chelsea and a 2-2 draw with Spurs by Liverpool on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp has stated that it is highly unlikely that Liverpool would have enough players to execute their game on boxing day.

“It’s impossible, we don’t have the players, We have to think we will get an extra case or two. We cannot just push it all through. The 26th and 28th, that’s not possible. We would prefer to play but we need help with the fixtures.” Klopp said.

Meanwhile, the Carabao Cup is contemplating scrapping the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals in order to give opportunity and space for teams to play their outstanding games.

This is after the FA Cup competition scrapped their second leg replay for the 3rd and 4th round ties on Monday.

Seven of the Premier League Club side are still in contention for the Carabao Cup, which makes the fixture calendar congested.

Written by: Daniel Ademiju Idowu