According to The Telegraph, as many as 12 senior players look set to miss out on Saturday’s clash with West Brom due to COVID-related concerns.
Luke Edwards’ piece claims that the Premier League require 14 players to be missing in order to postpone a game, so it seems Steve Bruce will be forced to put together the best side possible and hope for the best this weekend.
As a result, The Telegraph report that the substitutes bench looks set to be filled with Under-23 players.
Although it’s far from ideal that we’ll be left weakened for a very winnable home game against the league’s second bottom side, this means rising star Elliot Anderson could well make his Premier League debut.
This comes after Sky Sports revealed yesterday that the game looked set to go ahead, with the training ground reopening on Wednesday and those who’ve tested negative able to train together for the first time in 13 days.
Although our preparations have been boosted by the Benton base opening its doors again, Luke Edwards insists that the risk of injury after two weeks away has meant it was only a ‘light session’ yesterday.
As a result, it’s said Steve Bruce is concerned about player welfare – yet there is little the club can do if the Premier League insist the game must go ahead.
Considering we now have enough players available to put out a team and will have had at least a few days to train – albeit half heartedly – it seems the match will go ahead.
Who plays is anyone’s guess, however!
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If you need 14 players to be missing in order to postpone a game, how did we manage to get last weeks game postponed, and using the logic with 3 times that number sick now surely we are entitled to postpone again?
JFA127(Quote)
The 14 players refers to the minimum number of players needed in order for the game to take place (11 starters and 3 subs) and not the amount of players who are unavailable
will7t9(Quote)