The coronavirus pandemic has put paid to another top-flight fixture, with Tottenham Hotspur’s match against Fulham now confirmed as being off.
Scott Parker’s side recorded a number of positive COVID-19 tests on Tuesday and reported that a further group of players were “showing symptoms” today, resulting in a request from the Cottagers to the Premier League to postpone their Wednesday night clash with Spurs.
It wasn’t until around three and a half hours before kick-off that word started to filter through of the game’s cancellation, with the official announcement not arriving until after 15:00 GMT.
This is the second Gameweek 16 fixture to fall by the wayside, with Everton’s meeting with a coronavirus-affected Manchester City called off on Monday.
The Gameweek 11 match between Aston Villa v Newcastle was a previous casualty, with Steve Bruce’s squad decimated by illness at the time.
The Magpies’ clash with Liverpool this evening will bring the curtain down on a curtailed Gameweek 16, with kick-off at St James Park at 20:00 GMT.
No announcement has yet been made on when the outstanding fixtures will be rescheduled for, nor has there been any clue as to what the impact will be in Gameweek 17.
Fulham are due to face Burnley on Sunday, the same day that Manchester City are at Chelsea.
The ramifications for Fantasy managers could extend beyond the current Gameweek, then, and the hope will be for clear-cut information before the next FPL deadline at 16:30 GMT on Friday.
The Premier League remain confident that the 2020/21 season can continue for the time being, saying in a statement today:
With low numbers of positive tests across the overwhelming majority of clubs, the Premier League continues to have full confidence in its COVID-19 protocols and being able to continue to play our fixtures as scheduled.
Given what happened in March when similar noises made before a hasty retreat, we’ll have to take those words with a pinch of salt for the time being.
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