Fulham’s Premier League match with Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night is in doubt after a number of positive COVID-19 tests at the club, Peter Rutzler can reveal.
The Athletic understands that after a number of people at Fulham tested positive, the fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could be under threat.
The Premier League confirmed today that they had recorded the highest number of positive cases since the pandemic began — 18 in total — with at least three clubs reporting cases.
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Has COVID-19 impacted Fulham before?
Yes. Fulham head coach Scott Parker missed the club’s last match at home to Southampton after a member of his household tested positive.
He then went into self-isolation for 10 days and returned to training at Motspur Park on Monday.
What is the latest on COVID-19 and the Premier League?
On Tuesday, the Premier League made the decision for its clubs to return to twice-weekly COVID-19 testing because of the increased number of positive tests.
The latest round of testing between December 21-27 resulted in 18 positive COVID-19 tests among players and staff, with a total of 1,479 players people tested. The 18 people who have tested positive are all self-isolating in line with government guidelines.
The 18 positive tests is the highest number of positive COVID results reported by the Premier League publicly since weekly testing started.
Has this happened before?
Yes. Tottenham’s match against Fulham would be the third Premier League fixture to be postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak this season.
Two other matches have been postponed this season due to COVID-19 outbreaks at Newcastle United and Manchester City respectively.
Manchester City reported four positive COVID-19 tests among players and staff on December 25 and another three on December 29, forcing the postponement of their match against Everton at Goodison Park. The Athletic understands the three people who returned positive tests are first-team players.
The 2019-20 season was halted for over three months because of the pandemic. The league was suspended in March until 4 April, was then extended to mid-June. The season resumed with two matches on 17 June, with Liverpool eventually winning the title in July.
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