Premier League has not discussed a season circuit-breaker and says its COVID-19 protocols have the full support of the government; Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says continuing gives him a 'strange feeling' morally
Monday 11 January 2021 17:26, UK
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo is concerned football will never be the same if it is forced to stop again.
A surge in coronavirus cases and a number of match postponements has led to talk of a potential circuit-breaker, with football halted temporarily.
Sky Sports News reported last month that the Premier League were not discussing such a proposal, despite West Brom boss Sam Allardyce among those calling for a pause to the campaign to try to reduce the number of cases.
The Premier League reiterated its confidence in its COVID-19 protocols and its ability to fulfil fixtures.
Asked about the prospect of pausing the season, Nuno said: "I don't know for sure what is better. What I think and what I am afraid of is that if the decision is to stop, football as we know now will not be the same.
"This is my biggest fear because the schedule will go crazy, it will be impossible to even finish the league and think about the Euros.
"So what I feel is that if we stop, everything will change, a new football will come, probably with the Super League, with new competitions, and then it will be a matter of which clubs survive. So it's a tough decision to make."
Burnley boss Sean Dyche hopes football will be allowed to carry on, adding: "I think the Premier League are doing everything possible and mostly the players are as well.
"As long as the protocols are there and it's as safe as it possibly can be, then I think football has to continue. I think it would be a drastic action to stop it now."
Speaking last week, Steve Bruce said it is "morally wrong" for football to continue as coronavirus cases continue to rise and wreak havoc with the fixture list.
Bruce's Newcastle side were the first Premier League team to feel the full extent of Covid-19 earlier this season and he believes a suspension of football is the only way to protect players.
"I see other clubs struggling with it now and of course there's Premier League protocols in place but once you leave the training ground you are in the outside world," Bruce told Sky Sports News.
"The speed in which it ripped through us is something all football clubs will be looking at because it is difficult to contain and stop.
"We've seen first hand how it affects people - we've had two players who were very, very sick and one or two members of staff, one in particular nearly hospitalised.
"And no-one envisaged this new wave was going to be as powerful as it is.
"Financially it's right to play on, but for me - morally it's wrong. I understand people want to play a game of football but we are just as vulnerable as everyone else."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says it feels morally strange for football to carry on, but believes there are positives, such as stress relief for people in lockdown.
"Morally, with the situation we have in the country, with the situation we have worldwide, to keep doing what we are doing is a little bit of a strange feeling.
"We know as well what we can bring to society if we are able to do it in a safe way, then there are a lot of positives to take. It's just that balance.
"When this starts to get damaging and worrying and it starts to exploit people, and when we can do it and it's still safe and we can add something positive. It's a difficult context."
A circuit-breaker for football would come as no surprise for Chris Wilder, although the Sheffield United manager hopes his side can carry on playing.
"I don't think anyone will be surprised," Wilder said. "I think everybody knows about it. Everybody knows the situation. I don't think anyone will be surprised if football gets suspended.
"As I've said, consistent with it all the way through, I want to come into work and I want to play football and that's been our stance.
"The decision has been left to the government and, obviously, in conjunction with the Premier League.
"It's been a situation, hasn't it, from the fantastic news regarding the vaccine, to getting it by a sucker punch straight away in terms of the new strain of what the virus is chucking out there.
"I don't think I'm being controversial in saying that I wouldn't be surprised - and I don't think anybody would be surprised - the way it's sweeping through the country."
This week on the Pitch to Post Preview Podcast we look ahead to the midweek Premier League games. Peter Smith is joined by Sky Sports News reporter James Cooper to discuss Man Utd's title credentials, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side aiming to go clear at the top on Tuesday.
Sky Sports football journalist Oliver Yew lifts the lid on Arsenal's turnaround and makes his bold Pitch for Sheff Utd vs Newcastle.
Plus, Sky Sports News reporter Rob Dorsett has the latest on the impact coronavirus is having at Aston Villa, following the postponement of their game with Tottenham, tells the story of Louie Barry, and discusses Wolves vs Everton.
Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox
