Everton's Women's Super League game at home to Manchester United on Sunday has been postponed because of COVID-19 cases at the Merseyside club, both teams said on Friday.
Everton said that five players had tested positive for the novel coronavirus during the winter break and weren't deemed fit to play Sunday's 1200 GMT game at Walton Hall Park despite being back in training.
All other members of the Everton squad returned negative results this week.
"Five members of the Everton Women squad contracted coronavirus between Christmas and New Year," Everton said in a statement https://www.evertonfc.com/news/1968680/everton-womens-match-against-manchester-united-postponed.
"With five Women's players also out injured, another member of the squad was confirmed to have suffered a stress fracture following a scan this morning, leaving Everton Women with only 13 players available for the game against Manchester United.
"As a result, the match... has been postponed, with a new date to be confirmed in due course."
Earlier on Friday, Chelsea's League Cup quarter-final tie with Manchester City, due to take place on Jan. 13, was postponed https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/01/08/chelsea-women-s-conti-cup-clash-against-man-city-postponed-?cardIndex=0-2 following a number of COVID-19 cases reported at City.
City's league home game with West Ham United and Arsenal's home game with Aston Villa, both scheduled for Saturday, were also postponed due to COVID-19.
City reported four players had tested positive for the virus, while Arsenal said all first-team players initially tested negative on their return from the Christmas break but one tested positive this week.
City are already battling a COVID-19 outbreak in the men's squad, with several first-team players and staff members testing positive. Their Premier League match at Everton was postponed last month.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
