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Premier League considering changes to COVID-19 postponement rules

Adam Davy - PA Images / PA Images / Getty

The Premier League could change its guidelines for postponing matches during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic following controversy over some called-off games this season.

"The Premier League is consulting with our clubs regarding COVID-19 postponement rules and guidance in light of the changing national picture and the falling number of cases within our squads," the Premier League said in a statement released Wednesday, according to The Athletic's Dan Sheldon and Matt Slater.

"The league's current guidance was amended in December following the emergence of the new Omicron variant, and we continue to monitor the ongoing effects of the virus and will update our guidance accordingly."

England's top flight intends to call a meeting between its clubs to discuss potential changes after the upcoming weekend's fixtures, Sheldon and Slater report. The meeting would coincide with the start of a winter break, with clubs not returning to league action until Feb. 8.

The Premier League has called off 21 matches so far this season as clubs failed to fulfill the quota of 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper for a match. However, the reasons to postpone haven't strictly been down to COVID-19.

The latest controversy occurred after the Premier League approved Arsenal's request to postpone last Sunday's derby with Tottenham Hotspur due to a player shortage. Though the extent of the Gunners' COVID-19 and injury issues remained somewhat unknown, the competition appeared to breach its own guidelines by considering players on Africa Cup of Nations duty when deciding to call off the fixture.

Arsenal also allowed Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Folarin Balogun to leave the club on loan ahead of the north London derby, thereby reducing their squad numbers before asking the Premier League to postpone the match.

"We didn't have the players necessary to put out a squad available to compete in a Premier League match, that is 100% guaranteed," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insisted Wednesday, as quoted by BBC Sport.

There is no threshold of positive COVID-19 tests that must be reached for a game to be postponed. The Premier League guidelines simply state that a club can satisfy the minimum of 13 outfield players and a goalkeeper from who's available in its 25-man squad and from "appropriately experienced under-21 players." The latter part of that ruling wouldn't include a young player who featured in the FA Cup third round but in no other senior game for his team this season.

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