Newcastle's EPL game at Aston Villa on Friday has been postponed following a "significant increase" in COVID-19 cases at the club's training ground. Five Newcastle players and two staff members reportedly have tested positive. The club's training ground at Darsley Park was closed on Monday and Tuesday. Newcastle lodged a request with the EPL to postpone the fixture at Villa Park, which was approved. Aston Villa said it "fully" supported the decision to postpone the match. A "new date and time for the game will be confirmed in the future." This is the first EPL match this season "to be postponed because of Covid cases." Newcastle Manager Steve Bruce said on Friday that three players and one member of staff had tested positive (BBC, 12/1).
On Monday, the EPL confirmed that 10 positive results had been recorded from 1,381 players and staff in the most recent round of testing (ESPN.com, 12/1).
Newcastle and the EPL "launched an investigation into the source" of the outbreak. Newcastle said it had "strictly adhered to coronavirus protocols, any breach of which" would see the club "face punishment." The club had "feared the virus had spread widely after four players tested positive last week." Two of those had been in "close contact with teammates and staff" before Friday’s 2-0 win at Crystal Palace and had tested positive "days after two players and a member of staff had already been sent home to self-isolate" (London TELEGRAPH, 12/1).
