Just after the English Premier League announced it would carry on with this weekend’s slate of matches as scheduled, it may be reconsidering.
That’s because shortly following the EPL’s statement, Arsenal dropped one of its own, revealing that head coach Mikel Arteta tested positive for COVID-19.
Arsenal personnel who came in close contact with Arteta recently, including the full first-team squad and coaching staff, are being forced to self-quarantine.
The club was supposed to face-off against Brighton on Saturday, but that game was postponed.
“It is clear we will not be able to play some fixtures on their currently scheduled dates,” Arsenal’s statement read. “We will update supporters who have tickets for forthcoming games with more information as soon as possible.”
The news instigated another update from the EPL, calling an emergency meeting to discuss how they should proceed.
“In light of Arsenal’s announcement tonight confirming that their first-team coach Mikel Arteta has tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League will convene an emergency club meeting tomorrow morning regarding future fixtures,” the EPL’s statement said.
“The Premier League will make no further comment until after that meeting.”
With most every other sports league altering its schedule in some way over coronavirus concerns, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the EPL follow suit.
