Manchester United's Premier League match against Brighton on Saturday is expected to be postponed amid mounting Covid-19 cases.
Sources have told the Manchester Evening News the game is likely to be called off. As of Tuesday night, United were confident they had contained the Covid-19 outbreak and at least 17 players reported at the club's Carrington training complex when first-team operations reopened on Wednesday.
However, a significantly reduced number of players were accounted for on Thursday amid the likelihood of this weekend's game being called off.
Scott McTominay, who arrived on Wednesday but left after 30 minutes, was among the players who turned up on Thursday. United refused to confirm if McTominay had tested positive for Covid-19 after he left the club premises on Wednesday.
If United do not host Brighton this weekend then they will have gone at least 16 days without playing, as long as their remaining Premier League matches go ahead this month.
The football calendar for the next 18 months is already compromised by the winter World Cup's start date of November 21, with the final scheduled for December 18. The Premier League will resume on Boxing Day and the final round of matches will be played on May 28 2023.
