Football in brief

Forty positive coronavirus cases were discovered over two rounds of Premier League testing in late December and early January.

The league announced its latest figures which showed that of 1,311 players and club staff tested between December 28 and 31, 28 came back positive for Covid-19. In tests on 984 players and staff carried out between January 1 and 3 there were a further 12 positives, the league said.

Livingston have signed former St Mirren and Hearts striker Gavin Reilly.

The 27-year-old, who also played for Dunfermline, has signed an 18-month deal after Carlisle allowed him to move on after he netted one goal in 21 games for the Sky Bet League Two leaders.

Middlesbrough have signed goalkeeper Jordan Archer until the end of the season following his departure from Motherwell.

Archer, 27, has been signed as cover for Dejan Stojanovic, who has left the Riverside to join German club St Pauli on loan.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is confident Kevin De Bruyne will sign a new long-term deal.

The Belgium midfielder, who is tied to City until 2023, is yet to sign a new deal but Guardiola is not too concerned. He told Sky Sports News: “I am pretty sure he will stay but at the same time we have to respect the process.”

Former Manchester City and England midfielder Colin Bell has died at the age of 74, the club have announced.

Bell made 492 appearances and scored 152 goals for City during his 13-year stay after joining from Bury in 1966, winning the First Division, FA Cup, League Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup with the club.