All players and staff tested negative ahead of Man Utd's Premier League win at Norwich on Saturday; Tuesday's game at Brentford still expected to go ahead at this stage; Aston Villa cancel recovery session on Sunday after one player tests positive, with Covid-19 protocols tightened
Monday 13 December 2021 15:06, UK
Manchester United have recorded a "small number" of positive Covid-19 cases among players and staff following Saturday's Premier League match at Norwich.
United returned positive lateral flow tests ahead of training on Sunday, having all tested negative before the 1-0 victory at Carrow Road.
Training was adjusted to individual and non-contact sessions outdoors for those who returned negative tests.
The Premier League has been notified of the outbreak, but Tuesday's game away against Brentford remains scheduled to go ahead at this stage.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank is planning for the game to take place but wants more clarity over rules regarding Covid-19 postponements.
"We are planning to play the game," Frank said. "That's what we are focusing on. We can't control anything else.
"I think it needs to be a significant amount of Covid cases before the game can be cancelled but to be fair I'm a little bit in doubt when it is enough."
Tottenham had their games against Rennes and Brighton postponed after eight players and five staff members tested positive, forcing the closure of their training ground.
There have also been cases reported at a number of other clubs, with fears that more is to come over the winter.
"It's a very tricky situation," Frank said. "I think it's very important the Premier League and all of us are following normal society rules and restrictions. That's very important.
"And then if we can make it very clear what the rules are to cancel a game that would be good. But I think all that is just speculation and taking the focus away from what we all want and that is what's happening on the pitch."
Brentford have been hit by Covid themselves, with striker Ivan Toney and defender Ethan Pinnock both missing games after testing positive.
Toney is due out of isolation ahead of Tuesday's fixture and Frank said he was optimistic he could feature, but Pinnock is expected to miss out again.
Aston Villa also had one positive Covid-19 case in their playing squad, leading to a recovery session at the club's Bodymoor Heath training ground on Sunday being cancelled.
Full training at Villa, who lost 1-0 at Liverpool on Saturday, is expected to resume on Monday.
Further testing is to take place, while the club will also tighten their coronavirus protocols.
Villa face Norwich, managed by their former boss Dean Smith, at Carrow Road in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Tottenham saw their Europa Conference League game against Rennes last Thursday called off due to a number of positive Covid-19 cases among Spurs' players and staff, with the outcome of the match referred to a disciplinary panel.
The outbreak also led to Sunday's Premier League game at Brighton being postponed after the club's first-team training centre was closed on Wednesday.
The government announced earlier this week fans will need to show proof of double vaccination or a negative test to attend sporting events with crowds of more than 10,000 people in England.
The rules are due to come into effect from December 15 as part of Covid 'plan B' measures, to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.
Brighton manager Graham Potter has revealed there are "three or four" positive tests among his playing squad, but their match with Wolves on Wednesday is not currently under threat.
Albion's game against Tottenham was postponed at the weekend due to positive cases among the Spurs squad.
"We've got a combination of injuries and a bit of Covid ourselves," said Potter.
"We've got three or four, I would say, at the moment. And obviously that's something we have to deal with, like everybody else.
"Now we're just checking and making sure it's at that number."
