Bruce: Stop or we risk our health

STEVE BRUCE has questioned the morality of top- level football continuing in the face of the Covid crisis.

Newcastle were the first Premier League side to have a game called off this season and had to close their training ground as the virus swept through the club.

Having witnessed the impact of the pandemic close up, Toon boss Bruce has concerns about continuing the season. ason. But Jose Mourinho ho wants games to go ahead and an end to allowing postponements because of coronavirus.

Bruce said: “Financially it’s right but maybe morally it’s wrong. We’ve had two players who were very, very sick and one or two members of staff who were nearly hospitalised.

“What’s it going to take, is that serious enough? The Premier League has had unbelievable protocols but Manchester City, Villa, clubs in lower divisions still get outbreaks.

Magpies captain

Jamaal Lascelles ( top) was allowed to resume training only this week after shaking off the virus, while Allan SaintMaximin ( circle) has returned to Tyneside but is awaiting the all- clear.

Villa have confirmed 10 first- team players were among 14 positive cases at the club and they had to dip into their youth ranks to ensure last night’s FA Cup tie with Liverpool went ahead.

Villa host Tottenham on Wednesday, and

Mourinho fears a fixture pile- up with that game under threat.

The Spurs boss believes all top- flight clubs have been a aware since the st start of the sea season of the need to be able to put together a squad capable of fulfilling fixtures.

“It’s the moment for the Premier League to show leadership and make decisions,” he said.

“Decisions where a club like us, that is trying everything, every day, to be ready to play, to follow the rules that we had in our hands since the beginning of the season, can’t be punished.

“If we don’t play Aston Villa we will have had three matches postponed.”