Big guns will take the miss
Premier League clubs have given up on having their South American stars available next weekend.
Despite quarantine exemptions being granted to double-jabbed players returning from red-listed countries earlier this week, several clubs will still be left without key men.
CONMEBOL nations will play three games during the current break to catch up on a Covid- affected schedule. And with the f inal round of fixtures taking place between Thursday evening and Friday morning UK time, the turnaround is tight.
The Brazil squad has nine Premier League players, with Liverpool’s Al isson and Fabinho among them.
Manchester City are also set to be affected with Ederson and Gabriel Jesus part of Tite’s squad. Aston
Villa, Manchester United and Tottenham are facing similar headaches after providing players to multiple South American nations this week.
Edinson Cavani and Fred are in line to miss United’s match, while Villa are expected to be without Emiliano Martinez and Douglas Luiz.
Spurs will be arguably hardest hit, having allowed Emerson Royal to join up with Brazil, both Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero to represent Argentina, and Davinson Sanchez to report for Colombia duty.
They have attempted to lobby the relevant national FAs to allow their players to be released prior to their third and final game of the international break but their appeals have been rejected. All those players will have to do without a winter break because CONMEBOL have also pencilled in games for January 27 and February 1 next year.