Premier League clubs are said to be “furious” over the decision to postpone the game between Arsenal and Tottenham this weekend.
The North London Derby was meant to be played at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Sunday, but a lack of available players meant that the Gunners put in a request to have the match called off.
The rule regarding the request to postpone a game came in earlier this season, with sides struggling to contain a wave of Covid-19 infections spreading through their squad.
The impact of the pandemic meant that a number of clubs could not fulfil fixtures, with the Premier League stating that 13 available outfield players and a goalkeeper must be available for a tie to go ahead.
Despite its initial purpose being to combat infections, there was a belief that some clubs were using the postponements advantageously to deal with injuries and suspensions.
However, the rules don’t state that the availability has to be related to several Covid cases and can be used by clubs impacted by the virus with a lack of players available.
This led to some outrage when Arsenal’s match with Tottenham was called off, with the Gunners suffering just one known first-team case of the virus at the time.
According to The Mirror, the Gunners’ Premier League rivals are “furious” over the decision from the Premier League to postpone the game.
The report claims that a number of clubs are angry at those at the top making the choices, with claims of potential “special treatment” for bigger clubs mentioned.
Whether it leads to rule changes will remain to be seen, though there may be more to come from this saga in the future.
