Premier League clubs have expressed concerns over further fixture postponements, according to the Guardian.
The English clubs are afraid of losing further fixtures next week due to policing and logistical issues after this weekend’s fixtures were postponed to pay tribute to the Queen.
News of the Queen’s death was announced from Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening. Shortly afterwards, Friday night’s Football League fixtures were called off before the top flight followed suit.
The clubs met in London on Friday morning, where the league’s board unanimously recommended postponing the most immediate round.
Their proposal was met with concerns about whether it was the right call, especially with most other major sports deciding to carry on with their plans to play.
Some clubs thought it would be better to pay tribute to the Queen by going ahead with the games and staging appropriate gestures and forms of respect.
However, the clubs eventually accepted the board’s recommendation to postpone and resume next weekend.
There are concerns that further postponements might occur next weekend, especially with the Queen’s funeral expected to take place around the following Monday.
They believe the funeral, which would garner massive police operation required in the build-up and on the day of the event, could impact their ability to carry on with the matches safely, especially in London.
Tottenham are scheduled to face Leicester City on Saturday at 5:30 pm, while Brentford host Arsenal on Sunday at 2:00 pm before Chelsea welcome Liverpool at 4:30 pm.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s home game against Crystal Palace, scheduled for 3:00 pm on Saturday, had already been postponed because of the upheaval caused by a planned train strike.
However, the industrial action has now been called off out of respect to the Queen.
Arsenal and Spurs bosses Mikel Arteta and Antonio Conte had already complained about their side’s fixture congestion. There is no doubt this latest development will cause further headaches.
Losing two rounds of games in an already congested calendar would present serious challenges for every Premier League side.
The league and the clubs would now try to complete whichever fixtures they can next weekend as they feel a partially completed round would be better than no round at all.
