Newcastle United have confirmed that Sunday’s trip to Southampton is now OFF.
The club have released a statement revealing that the Premier League have accepted their request to postpone the fixture, stating that we have ongoing issues with COVID-19 cases and injuries within the first-team squad.
This is the second game to be called off this week, with us also seeing Thursday night’s trip to Everton postponed.
Interestingly, The Telegraph have since reported that Southampton are ‘furious’ at the Premier League’s decision and have launched a complaint against Newcastle United, citing the ‘lack of transparency when fixtures are suddenly called off.’
Here’s the official statement released by the club on the Southampton v Newcastle match:
‘Sunday’s Premier League clash between Southampton and Newcastle United at St. Mary’s Stadium has been postponed due to ongoing Covid-19 cases and injuries amongst the Magpies’ first team squad.
The match is the second successive Newcastle United fixture to be postponed following the cancellation of Thursday’s scheduled game at Everton, with several players and staff having succumbed to illness and injury over the festive period.
In accordance with protocol, the Magpies submitted a separate request to the Premier League to postpone the trip to the south coast, and this has been approved by the Premier League Board.
Both away fixtures will now be rescheduled and new dates and times will be confirmed in due course.
Newcastle United once again thanks the respective clubs and the Premier League for their cooperation and understanding.
The club also extends its sincere apologies to supporters affected by both postponements and asks them to retain their tickets.
The club will not be naming individuals who have contracted Covid-19 or their vaccination status. We ask that their privacy is respected and we wish them a full and speedy recovery.
For the latest coronavirus guidance, please visit gov.uk/coronavirus.
To find out more about vaccinations and how to book one, please visit nhs.uk/covidvaccine.’
It seems as though we are damned if we do, and damned if we don’t.
If NUFC asked the PL on Tuesday to postpone the Southampton game I suspect they would have complained that players and staff could have recovered by the time of the game so it should not be called off.
Surely we have done the decent thing in allowing our players the maximum time to recover before requesting the game is postponed.
Mark Hanson(Quote)
On what grounds do they have to be aggrieved? This is a new season and new rules compared when they received a 9-0 spanking from Man Utd. The rule clearly says games can be called off due to Covid and injuries which we have both. Nobody is making this much fuss when other teams call off games. Southampton please return your grapes to the shop you bought them from, they appear to be sour.
Matt(Quote)
Seems OK and acceptable for other clubs to postpone games but not us are is it just Southampton are like the rest the league jealous of our takeover and want us relegated and can’t recall them complaining about leeds and Burnley having games in hand over them
Darren Bebb(Quote)
They must be worried about what players weight get in before we play them we should ask Southampton if it’s ok if we play the boys team so they can make sure of the points what sports Southampton are always throught they where better then that
Ricky(Quote)
I think all these postponements are going to far now, all clubs hiding behind covid for there players who are injured even my club, i was listening to Carlton Palmer and Dean Saunders on talk sport the other night, they were saying how soft our players are now especially over the christmas period, they were saying all this complaining about tiredness and fatigue they were also saying its a load of rubbish, these players on all this money and there complaining of being tired, what about Lampard and Gerrard who play 76 games a season in all competitions they never complained of being tired they were grateful just to be playing football. I think these players now which most are foreign are too soft and are being molicoddled. The Premier League is the fastest and hardest in the world if your tired and fatigued why come here…..Rant over :
Karl Thompson(Quote)
Fook them. Whinging fooking boris following ******
V(Quote)
If all Newcastle supporters can do is swear and curse they do not deserve to even get a chance to win the 3 points against the Saints, they should be fined and have points deducted especially as they will not divulge who have Covid to the FA, DISGRACEFUL
Name *Eric Birkett(Quote)
Not really a footballing city is Southampton – very petty of them
Tom(Quote)
Laughable that Newcastle could manage to field a 19 man squad 4 days ago against Man United but can’t manage it for the Everton game and now against Saints. Looks to me and the rest of the footballing world as Newcastle are scared to death of relegation and see a loophole to try and avoid it. You don’t have 6+ players now with COVID since Monday. You have injuries to your only 2 good players Wilson and Saint-Max. Using these as excuses to postpone a game that you were going to lose are poor. Injuries are part and parcel of a season you have to deal with, dealing with COVID is different but you don’t have half your 25 man squad with COVID so get on and play the game.
Saint_Ralph(Quote)
So if that’s the case Saint Ralph teams like Leeds and Burnley should have played there games same as Watford have these 3 teams not exercised a loophole to try and stay in league like you’ve accused Newcastle of if yous get relegated and the 3 teams I’ve mentioned stay up by getting the points from the games in hand over you what would be your opinion then or you and the rest of the league can just admit your the scared ones because if we do stay up we will completely blow clubs like yours out of the water and that’s why you’s all want us relegated
Darren Bebb(Quote)
Ken Munden(Quote)
not a footballing city ??, we have provided Liverpool with a FEW PLAYERS and other clubs and several fans remember the streets of Southampton in 76 not a footballing city ? what a JOKE
Ken Munden(Quote)
Newcastle were going to loose if they played. Simple as that. In the postponed game, I hope Saints are so angry about the postponement that they thrash the cheating Northern scum.
NCastle(Quote)
James(Quote)
It’s “their” games not “there” games. Always use “their” when you are incorporating ownership.
James(Quote)
David Brewis(Quote)
christopher goacher(Quote)
Can’t believe that’s your response seriously
Darren Bebb(Quote)