Newcastle United goalkeeper Rob Elliot has been involved in an online spat with Piers Morgan over coronavirus tests.
Morgan has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Government’s policy surrounding the pandemic, which has killed around 8,000 globally and caused huge disruption to life around the world in such a short space of time.
One of the big issues around the illness is a shortage of testing, with the UK Government announcing last week that they would no longer be testing anyone who wasn’t admitted to hospital.
Despite that, a number of high-profile footbllers have been tested and overseas a string of internationals have revealed positive diagnosis.
That prompted Morgan to tweet: “Memo to footballers...STOP having Coronavirus tests & insist your clubs pay for health care workers to have them instead. You’re all young, fit & healthy so very low risk - we need THEM at work, not you.”
The initial post received 7,000 likes but prompted the ire of the Newcastle stopper.
Elliot replied: “Message to all journalists with no medical expertise or qualifications. Stop spreading fear, panic and undermining the experts just to push your own self promotion.”
That led to Morgan quote-tweeting the original reply with this message. “THIS is your reaction to my perfectly reasonable suggestion? Wow. OK Rob, you guys keep having Coronavirus tests that health workers can’t get... makes perfect sense.”
Opinion seemed split on the spat online, with some Newcastle fans backing Elliot's point - while others felt Morgan was right to say footballers shouldn't be a testing priority.
