Premier League clubs have agreed on changes to the rules regarding covid postponements, with teams now requiring four positive covid cases within their squad.
Under the new rules, clubs will need to show at least four positive Covid cases in order to submit a request for a postponement. Clubs previously needed just one covid case to apply for a postponement, but this has been raised to four after frustrations with the number of sides calling for games to be rearranged.
Injuries, suspensions and international duty were all also taken into account with the mid-season Africa Cup of Nations having contributed to increased postponement applications.
The changes come after complaints regarding the number of postponements in the division this season, with the Premier League having already called of 22 games during the 2021/22 campaign.
Spurs were left frustrated after the clubs’ North London derby with Arsenal was postponed on January 16, despite the Gunners having just one positive Covid test in their squad.
Mikel Arteta’s options had been depleted through a combination of injury and the AFCON, but Arsenal were granted a postponement despite allowing two players – Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Folarin Balogun – to leave on loan in the days before the clash.
According to Sky Sports, the changes will come into effect immediately with the next Premier League fixture scheduled to be Burnley’s clash with Watford on February 5.
The news comes after it was announced this week that the number of positive Covid-19 cases in the Premier League had fallen for the fourth consecutive week.
