Coronavirus Latest – British football season postponed until April 3

Premier League

The Premier League and EFL have announced the 2019/20 season has been suspended until April 3 at the earliest due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Having stated on Thursday afternoon that the latest round of matches would take place, Premier League and EFL officials convened an emergency meeting on Friday morning after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi were confirmed to have contracted the virus.

The decision was then made to postpone all football activity – the Premier League, Football League, FA Cup and WSL – with the EFL on hold until April 3, with the Premier League hopeful of resuming on April 4.

Scotland were quick to follow the decision of the English governing body by confirming that they were suspending all professional and grassroots football for the foreseeable future.

The first domino to fall was Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, the Gunners confirming on Thursday night that he had tested positive for Coronavirus.

Arsenal confirmed that they have closed their training ground and that all of their squad, as well as the coaching staff, have been told to self-isolate while their game at Brighton on Saturday has been postponed.

The news of Arteta contracting the virus was quickly followed on Friday morning by Chelsea confirming Callum Hudson-Odoi had also return a positive test for the coronavirus.

The rest of the Blues squad and coaching staff have now entered a period of self-isolation and their game at Aston Villa looks set to be postponed.

Everton were the next club to reveal their entire squad had entered isolation after one of their players had shown signs of the coronavirus.

Bournemouth have also said five personnel, including goalkeeper Artur Boruc, have entered self-isolation but as yet none have returned a positive test.

Meanwhile, France international Benjamin Mendy trained with his Manchester City team-mates on Thursday, but then took appropriate measures after a member of his family was admitted to hospital displaying symptoms.

On Thursday, Brendan Rodgers revealed three Leicester players are self-isolating after showing Coronavirus symptoms, we thought putting their Premier League clash with Watford in doubt.

Leicester have not specified which players had been quarantined, but said that all three had “shown symptoms and signs” of the Coronavirus condition and insisted that the club had “followed procedures”.

UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, addressed the nation on Thursday afternoon with regards to the government’s stance, which has moved to the “delay” phase of its plan to tackle the pandemic.

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