Mueez Ajao
– Arsenal’s north London derby against Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday has been postponed because the Gunners do not have enough available players to field a side.
– The Premier League said it accepted Arsenal’s request to call off the match following a board meeting on Saturday.
– Premier League rules say a club must play a game if they have 13 outfield players and one goalkeeper available.
Also Read: 10-man Arsenal frustrate Liverpool in Carabao semis
– It is the 21st top-flight game to be postponed this season because of Covid.
– Arsenal said they “reluctantly” requested a postponement because of injuries, positive Covid-19 cases and players away with their countries at the Africa Cup of Nations.
– Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe are on international duty in Africa, while Cedric Soares, Bukayo Saka and Calum Chambers all picked up injuries in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg draw against Liverpool on Thursday,.
– Granit Xhaka is also suspended after he was sent off in the first half at Anfield and Martin Odegaard missed the game through illness.
– It is the second Premier League game scheduled for this weekend to be postponed after Burnley’s game against Leicester City was called off on Friday because of because of Covid-19 and injuries in the Clarets camp.
