This archive report was first published on 24 December 2021.
Published on December 24, 2021, the Premier League announced the postponement of two English Premier League games due to a number of Covid-19 cases.
The affected matches are Wolverhampton Wanderers v Watford and Liverpool v Leeds United, both originally set for Sunday, December 26.
According to a statement issued by the Premier League on December 23, both Leeds and Watford requested to postpone their games due to positive Covid-19 cases in their squads.
Leeds United's fixture was postponed due to a significant number of players with Covid-19, injuries, and illness, with their training ground closed following consultation with the UK Health Security Agency and the Premier League.
Watford FC, meanwhile, struggled to field a team after their game against Crystal Palace FC was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Although players were expected to return from isolation, the club's availability for their fixture against West Ham United on December 28 was uncertain.
The Premier League Board assessed applications to postpone matches on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as a club's ability to field a team, the severity of the Covid-19 outbreak, and the players' ability to safely prepare for and play the match.
As the Omicron variant spread, the Premier League urged players to get vaccinated, with only 77% of its players fully vaccinated at the time.
