Manchester United unsure if Brentford game 'safe' to play after Covid-19 outbreak

 

Manchester United are in discussions with the Premier League over whether it is "safe" for Tuesday's game at Brentford to go ahead after a Covid-19 outbreak at the Old Trafford club.

Positives reported on Monday have been confirmed by PCR tests and operations at their Carrington training ground have been shut down for 24 hours.

The club is concerned about infection risk and disruption to preparations.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank said his side are "planning to play the game".

United said they were talking to the Premier League "given cancellation of training and disruption to the squad, and with the health of players and staff the priority" and that the team would not travel until a decision is made.

All of Manchester United's players tested negative before Saturday's 1-0 win at Norwich, but some tested positive before training on Sunday morning.

Brentford's Frank echoed Arsenal's Mikel Arteta in calling for greater clarity from the Premier League over Covid-19 postponements.

"I think it needs to be a significant amount of Covid cases before the game can be cancelled but to be fair I'm a little bit in doubt when it is enough," Frank said.

"If we can make it very clear what the rules are to cancel a game, that would be good."

Positive results at Aston Villa and Brighton

Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard confirmed "a couple of staff members and a couple of players" have tested positive but insisted the "vast majority" were negative and Tuesday's game against Norwich is not in doubt.

Brighton head coach Graham Potter says there are "three or four" positive cases at the club, whose game against Tottenham was postponed on Sunday after an outbreak in the Spurs squad.

In the Championship, Sheffield United's match against QPR on Monday is off because of an outbreak in the QPR squad.