Everton’s game at home to Newcastle tomorrow was postponed on Tuesday night due to Covid and injuries in the Magpies camp.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe already has an unspecified amount of Covid cases within the squad, but injuries to Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin further depleted numbers.
The Premier League ruled that Newcastle didn’t have enough numbers to compete at Goodison Park - and their match with Southampton on Sunday is also in doubt.
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl had his say after the postponement of Newcastle ’s game at Everton.
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The Premier League say teams must play games if they have 13 senior players and one goalkeeper.
“There’s talk about cancelling games because teams have a lot of injuries, but there were times last season where we had nine out injured – and we played academy players,” said Southampton’s manager.
“That was maybe the toughest half of a season here. Injuries are not Covid cases. Injuries are also here for us.
"They (Newcastle) had seven or eight players on the bench during their last game, and now they have two more injuries.
“They should still have thirteen players plus one (goalkeeper). This is the message from the Premier League.”
Hassenhuttl has injury concerns of his own, but the Saints want games to go ahead.
"We’ll prepare for the game, like always, with the players we have,” said Hasenhuttl.
“We're not moaning about it. We're taking it as it is. This is the toughest league in the world – we know this."