Tottenham COVID crisis: Premier League's latest statement after Spurs plea for Brighton postponement

The Premier League have taken decisive action after an outbreak of coronavirus at Tottenham Hotspur's training ground saw eight players and five members of staff test positive
Antonio Conte admits it's a scary situation as eight players and five staff have tested positiveAntonio Conte admits it's a scary situation as eight players and five staff have tested positive
Antonio Conte admits it's a scary situation as eight players and five staff have tested positive

Spurs had their Europa Conference League game against Rennes on Thursday postponed by Uefa and their Premier League game against Brighton this Sunday at the Amex Stadium always looked in doubt

With the first-team area of Tottenham’s training ground currently shut in the outbreak, the club spoke to the Premier League and requested to postpone the match against ninth placed Albion.

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The Premier League make these decisions on case by case basis and on this occasion they agreed that the match should be postponed. It's the first fixture of this Premier League campaign to be postponed due to coronavirus.

A statement read: "Brighton & Hove Albion’s home fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, due to be played on Sunday 12 December at 2pm, has been postponed following a Premier League Board meeting this afternoon.

"Tottenham asked for the match to be rearranged following a significant number of positive COVID-19 cases among players and relevant staff. This led to First Team facilities at the club’s training centre being closed after consultation with the Premier League and UK Health Security Agency.

"The Premier League Board has taken the decision to postpone the game following guidance from medical advisers, with the health of players and staff the priority.

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"The postponed fixture will be rescheduled in due course and the Premier League wishes a quick recovery to those with COVID-19."

Last season Aston Villa had two matches in a row postponed after their training ground was forced to close because of what they called a ‘significant’ outbreak.

“The problem is that every day we are having people with Covid,”

Conte said at a press conference which was held virtually rather than in person at the club’s Hotspur Way training centre.

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“People that yesterday weren’t positive, today were positive and we continue to have contact with people we think are negative but the day after become positive. I think this is a serious problem.

“The worst is we don’t know and we continue to have contact with people that the day before were negative. For sure this is not a good situation. At the end of the training session today, again one player positive. Another member of staff is positive.”

Sunday’s game against Tottenham would have been the start of a hectic schedule for an injury-hit Albion. On Wednesday, December 15, they are set to welcome Wolves before their trip to face Man United at Old Trafford on Saturday, December 18.

On Boxing Day they face Brentford at the Amex with a mad kick-off time of 8pm, before heading to Chelsea on December 29. They play at Everton on January 2.