Tottenham v Arsenal: Gunners Request Postponement Of North London Derby

By Daily Sports on January 15, 2022

Arsenal have requested the postponement of Sunday's north London derby with Tottenham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium because of a lack of available players.

The Gunners said they have "reluctantly taken this step" because of injuries, positive Covid-19 cases and players away with their countries at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Premier League board will consider Arsenal's request on Saturday.

The have been 20 Premier League games postponed this season because of Covid.

Earlier on Friday it was announced that Burnley's home game against Leicester City on Saturday has been postponed because of Covid-19 cases and injuries within the Turf Moor side's camp.

Premier League rules say a club must play a game if they have 13 outfield players and one goalkeeper available.

Cedric Soares, Bukayo Saka and Calum Chambers all picked up injuries in Arsenal's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg draw against Liverpool on Thursday, while Granit Xhaka is suspended after he was sent off in the first half at Anfield.

Mikel Arteta's side were already without Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe, who are on international duty in Africa, while Martin Odegaard missed the Liverpool game through illness.

Speaking at a news conference earlier on Friday, Gunners boss Arteta said he was unsure whether Sunday's match would go ahead.

"I don't know, it's difficult to say that with total honesty without assessing our players," said the Spaniard when asked whether he wanted the game postponed.

"What is today very unlikely, tomorrow is likely to happen. It's gone the other way for us when we were ready to play a match and it was cancelled twice because the other team had issues so it can go both ways. But our intention is always to play."

The Premier League says it assesses requests to postpone matches because of Covid on a "case-by-case basis".

In doing so the Premier League board assesses a number of factors, including "the ability of a club to field a team; the status, severity and potential impact of the Covid-19 outbreak at the club; and the ability of the players to safely prepare for and play the match."

Speaking on Friday night, former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I sympathise with everyone and I understand the situation but this is where it starts to get a little bit blurry as to what is allowed and what is not.

"There are a combination of reasons why Arsenal's squad is so thin, where do you draw the line? It is a really sensible question to ask. It needs real clarity. It needs to be down to Covid but all these other situations happen and you have to deal with it."

Former Brighton and Sunderland manger Gus Poyet added: "I think it should be only Covid reasons. It is not clear and that [clarity] is what we all want. What is the rule? The rule should be about Covid cases and then we should be able to say yes or no." (BBC)

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 15, 2022


 

You may also like...
Joshua will bomb out Usyk to regain titles,...

Djokovic seeks 10th US Open semi-final in row...

Arsenal’s Smith Rowe Called Up For England World...

Harry Kane: England captain believes Three Lions can...

Ronaldo Dashes Off To See Stroke-Victim Mother

We Won’t Beg Arsenal’s Saka To Play For...

 

Latest News Nigeria beat Cameroon to reach IHF final 27 schools for Doregos Basketball Championship Super Falcons to play France’s Les Bleues in friendly SWAN suspends ban on coverage of Anambra FA activities Joshua among boxing’s top three earners in 2024 Oshoala makes history with Bay FC Nnamani hails team over IHF bright start Flamingos lift U-17 W’Cup Fair Play Trophy Rangers Intl, SWAN partner on sports collaboration in SE LAGOS SWAN CELEBRATES AIG ZONE 2 ON HIS BIRTHDAY AND 30 DAYS IN OFFICE Traders Cup: Upholstery Soccer Team Secured 2nd Win To Advance To Round Two Lagos SWAN Celebrates Oba Akiolu, Iyaloja General, AIG Fayoade

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,140 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,267 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,349 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (43,988 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,930 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,876 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,717 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,286 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,331 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,034 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,485 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,915 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media