Man Utd vs Brighton one of SIX Premier League games called OFF this weekend as Covid rips through football

MANCHESTER UNITED vs Brighton is just one of SIX Premier League games scrapped this weekend.

Southampton vs Brentford, Everton vs Leicester, West Ham vs Norwich and Watford vs Crystal Palace were also postponed prior to the weekend as Covid ripped through the English game.

Aston Villa vs Burnley was postponed just over two hours before kick-off on Saturday.

The announcements came just hours after Prem chiefs vowed to plough on with the weekend programme - ignoring calls for a pre-Christmas Covid shutdown.

The Red Devils confirmed that Saturday’s lunchtime clash with the Seagulls has been postponed following a large number of positive cases in United’s camp.

Indeed, the Red Devils have just SEVEN players available after Tuesday's game with Brentford was also scrapped.

But United vs Brighton, and subsequently FOUR other weekend games, were not the only matches to be halted on Thursday.

Leicester and Tottenham were due to face each other earlier this week.

But with both clubs heavily affected over the past week, their match was called off seven hours before kick-off.

The decision comes after the midweek game between Burnley and Watford was halted only three hours before it was due to start.

It’s not just the Premier League badly affected, with three Championship games postponed.

Millwall vs Preston, QPR vs Swansea, Cardiff vs Derby, Coventry vs Stoke and Reading vs Luton have all been canned for now.

And in League Two, Crawley vs Oldham and Swindon vs Walsall are also postponed.

But Everton's trip to Chelsea tonight is going ahead, despite the Blues also recording three positive tests.

Liverpool also revealed before their game against Newcastle that Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk and Curtis Jones were all missing due to positive results.

FRANKLY SPEAKING

Brentford boss Thomas Frank demanded on Thursday morning that the upcoming round of Premier League games be suspended, with the Londoners seeing 13 players and staff affected.

And Brighton’s Graham Potter revealed he tried to postpone his side’s 1-0 defeat to Wolves.

Meanwhile in Spain, Real Madrid recorded five positive tests in their camp - including Welshman Gareth Bale.

The EFL also released a statement on Thursday afternoon revealing new guidelines to help prevent games from being postponed, while also encouraging players to get jabbed.

It read: “In light of the increased transmission rate of the Covid-19 Omicron variant, the EFL has moved to implement a regime of enhanced training ground protocols, increased testing and has provided updated guidance on the minimum number of available players that are required to fulfil a fixture.

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“On vaccination, the EFL is encouraging all eligible players and staff to get fully vaccinated and a booster jab to help protect colleagues and minimise the risk of fixtures being postponed. 

“The latest vaccine data collated for November has shown that 75% of players across the EFL are either fully vaccinated, have had a single jab or intend to be vaccinated. 

“Double vaccinated players total 59%, 16% are set to get the jab, while 25% of players currently do not intend to get a vaccine.”