Players ignoring Covid rules
THE planned crackdown on player celebrations fell on deaf ears yesterday as Premier League teams ignored Covid-19 protocols.
Players had been told to be on their best behaviour after some were branded ‘ brainless’ by a politician earlier in the week for continuing t o celebrate goals despite the worsening coronavirus crisis.
But there were group celebrations at Molineux from Wolves players after both their goals in the 3-2 loss to West Brom, while Michail Antonio was picked up off the ground and hugged by four team- mates after scoring West Ham’s winner against Burnley.
Chelsea’s Mason Mount also celebrated with team-mates after scoring the only goal at Fulham, and declared: ‘You want to celebrate. It’s the passion of football.’
Premier League chiefs will be dismayed that directives have once again not been observed.
And the Football Association have promised to monitor today’s games — including Liverpool versus Manchester United — closely for any more breaches.
With the country enduring a lock down there is a growing clamour for top sport to be shut down as it was in the first lockdown last spring. A further 1,295 Covid deaths were recorded in the UK yesterday.
The Premier League insist they are in constant touch with the government, but say they have no plan for a circuit-breaker.
But seeing football players flagrantly disregarding pleas for common sense might just force the Government to take the decision out of their hands, especially after MP for Solihull Julian Knight described Manchester City and Fulham players crowding together last week as ‘brainless’. West Brom’s players were more muted in their celebrations at Molineux, but manager Sam Allardyce admitted it is tough for players not to gather together after scoring. ‘It’s difficult to control your players in that particular moment — we can talk about it as much as we want, but in the position that we are in and the length it’s been since we have won a game, it’s very difficult to control your emotions,’ he said. ‘Even I wanted to kiss him! I think they controlled themselves a little bit. I don’t think it was totally out of control.’