Manchester City’s tie with Everton, which was due to take place yesterday, has been postponed on medical grounds following a board meeting with the Premier League over the former’s Covid-19 outbreak.
The timing, to say the least, is extremely suspicious; it’s almost as if City were due a tie with a high-flying Everton side who’ve won four games on the bounce.
With that in mind, we couldn’t possibly think of a reason why the club wouldn’t want to play against Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees.
Of course, we accept that this is conspiratorial thinking, as perhaps the Manchester club’s oil-fuelled squad did indeed have fewer than the 14 players available to be called upon.
But the idea that Pep Guardiola didn’t have 14 players to string together from both his senior squad and the club’s U21s – which clubs are reportedly, according to the Daily Mail, supposed to dip into, if necessary – is frankly ludicrous to suggest.
According to The Guardian: “City’s training ground has been closed for an indeterminate period after a number of their players tested positive for Covid-19 following the latest round of testing.
“The club had confirmed four positive tests on Christmas Day, including those for Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus, with unconfirmed reports that a further three players have now tested positive.”
It’s an unfortunate situation, but it’s hardly ruled out City’s entire squad, including their available youth options.
Let’s all be honest here, the Premier League has made a u-turn with this postponement, regardless of the intentions behind such a decision.
Don’t get us wrong, we’re always going to be in favour of player safety first, but why bother setting out such rules to deal with a congested season in the first place, only then to later go back on them? Where do we now draw the line?
If Jurgen Klopp fancies postponing the upcoming fixture against Newcastle to give Thiago Alcantara a longer recovery period, is that okay, as long as Liverpool have seven players out with Covid-19?
Will every club be able to benefit from the Premier League equivalent of a high school doctor’s note, saving those less enthusiastic about the prospect of a potentially testing fixture from partaking in the event?
We understand that these aren’t easy questions for the league to answer, but those at the top have to start laying down some ground rules that are actually going to stick, if there is to be any hope of having the season played to completion.
These decisions will exacerbate the fixture congestion, so it’s fundamental that the Premier League gives serious thought to the matter.
The reason for postponement I suspect was the high likelihood that other players/staff from city will become positive (i.e. are already in the presymptomatic state and before a test might reasonably become and the risk of transmission to Everton’s players and staff in the context of a more transmissible variant of covid was a sufficiently real prospect for the premier League and both teams to agree to a postponement. We have had players out with covid earlier in the season and played games and have no problem using squad and youth to do so. Now was the perfect time to play Everton (who have a smaller squad and could not rotate as many of their first team) and we had rested several players with that game in mind.
Coi city fan and doctor.
I total agree all teams are having problems.
The situation was not about available players but the likelihood of transmission. It appears as though the FA considers it likely that other players or staff would be positive and were concerned that Everton’s players and staff could be infected. Manchester’s oil fuelled squad will be tested today and we will see if that is the case. Whether it is or not it is a sensible precaution. I think the same precaution will be taken for all teams in a similar position. I think your conspiratorial thinking theory is correct.
I’m a Liverpool fan and this is just a shocking article. You sound like Trump with your conspiracy theories. Without knowing the full facts it’s hard to judge but suggesting they didn’t want to play Everton….thats just pathetic from you. Everton are doing well but so are City, they have the meanest defence and are unbeaten in their last 5 prem games. Once the full facts are known then lets pass comment, until then you sound like a poor loser and give proper Liverpool fans a bad name. If we were in that position i’m sure we would be asking for patience and understanding.
I doubt Man City wanted the game postponed any more than Everton did. They will now have a worse fixture problem. There is a killer pandemic happening in the UK and seriously, football is not life and death despite what dear old Bill Shankly had to say on the matter.
Also, from my understanding the game was called off because of the possible transmission of the virus to Everton players and their staff. If the next test after the incubation period has passed, later this week, things should get back to normal.
I doubt Man City wanted the game postponed any more than Everton did. They will now have a worse fixture problem. There is a killer pandemic happening in the UK and seriously, football is not life and death despite what dear old Bill Shankly had to say on the matter.
Also, from my understanding the game was called off because of the possible transmission of the virus to Everton players and their staff. If the next test after the incubation period has passed, later this week, things should get back to normal.
Shot article from a glory hunter
Its not just about City genius. Just because there have only been about 5 positive tests for City players doesnt mean that others havent had contact with those 5. So that means that the opposing team is in harms way also. So player safety is the only thing that matters. We’ve been in this pandemic for almost a year and we still cant seem to understand how it works. Incredible!!!
Fuck you scouse faggot.
Absolutely deluded
Do you not understand how fast this virus spreads and the risk to players and staff or have you been living in a bubble for the last 12 months
Just shows what a classless club you are, instead of wishing the players and staff a speedy recovery as city did to Arsenal you immediately think up a conspiracy
Always the victims – keep it up