Manchester United's games against Brentford and Brighton were postponed this week.
Although the Covid-19 outbreak at the club was initially only thought to be small and limited to a handful of cases following the Reds' 1-0 win versus Norwich last weekend, at least 19 first-team players and staff members subsequently returned positive tests.
Ralf Rangnick only had seven players available for United's match against Brighton, if the game had gone ahead as scheduled.
United have shut down Carrington twice this week in a bid to try contain the outbreak with their next fixture now eight days away.
United are set to play Newcastle away at St. James' Park two days after Christmas on Monday 27 December and it's hoped that the two-week circuit break and the rest from on the pitch commitments will help Rangnick's side recover from the outbreak.
The Premier League has postponed multiple games this week, but what criteria have to be met for a fixture to be postponed?
Under the Premier League's guidelines outlined in the official handbook, postponements of fixtures are only permitted 'in exceptional circumstances, which will be judged on a case-by-case basis' and those guidelines provide that:
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Postponement is not permitted where a club has 14 or more eligible players (players on the squad list) available.
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Where there are less than 14 players available, the board "may" allow the postponement, unless (1) one or more of the unavailable players are unavailable b/c the club or player failed to comply with the league's medical protocol; (2) one or more of the unavailable players is unavailable b/c of a gov't-mandated isolation following a return from overseas; or (3) the club was able, but failed, to use a "replacement player" (e.g., a player returning from loan).
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An application for postponement must be made by the club as far in advance as possible; and
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Accompanied by all evidence the club wants the board to consider.
United are scheduled to play Newcastle, Burnley and Wolves before the new year comes around.
