Matches at Manchester United and Man City will remain behind closed doors after it was announced that Greater Manchester will remain under tier 3 restrictions as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grip the UK.
Fans are not allowed to attend stadiums including Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium in areas that are under tier 3 restrictions, the strictest currently in place across much of the country.
It was hoped that the level of restrictions for Greater Manchester would be reduced as the infection rate has fallen in most areas of the region in recent weeks.
A move to tier 2 restrictions would have allowed 2,000 fans to be in attendance for United and City home matches, with both clubs ready to implement long-held plans for the return of supporters. Other clubs currently in tier 2 areas have been able to successfully welcome supporters back into their stadiums in recent weeks, but the ban will remain in place for the Manchester clubs for several more weeks at least.
If Manchester had been moved into tier 2, United might have been able to welcome fans as soon as Sunday's much-anticipated clash with Leeds. City's first home game would have been the boxing day clash with Newcastle, but now both sets of supporters will have to wait to welcome fans until after the new year.
