Positive test rules Pep out of City’s cup game

Pep Guardiola will miss Manchester City’s FA Cup third-round tie at Swindon tonight following a coronavirus outbreak at the Premier League champions.

City announced manager Guardiola and assistant Juanma Lillo returned positive tests on Tuesday along with a number of other members of the “first-team bubble”.

The club have not identified any of the other individuals, but have given details of the number affected.

A statement on the club’s website added: “This brings the number of those isolating for Covid-related reasons amongst the group to 21. Of that number, 14 are backroom staff with seven first-team players.”

Rodolfo Borrell, another of Guardiola’s coaching assistants, will take charge of the team at Swindon.

The news comes after Burnley announced their manager, Sean Dyche, will be absent as the Clarets host Huddersfield in their third-round tie tomorrow. Dyche has also tested positive for Covid19 this week.

Elsewhere, Gabon boss Patrice Neveu has revealed Arsenal forward Pierre-emerick Aubameyang has contracted Covid-19.

The Gunners striker is one of several Premier League players with the virus, but he is currently preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on Sunday.

Gabon’s first game is on Monday against Comoros and Neveu revealed Aubameyang, team-mate Mario Lemina and coach Yala Anicet were waiting on the results of PCRS following positive lateral flow tests.

Meanwhile, Everton announced their Women’s Super League match at Aston Villa scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed due to Covid19 cases.

It is the third fixture of the forthcoming round of WSL games to be called off after Chelsea v Tottenham (tonight) and West Ham v Manchester United (Sunday) were postponed because of Covid-19 in home camps.