Positive test hits Preston

PRESTON’S preparations for the return of the Championship season have been dealt another blow after a player tested positive for Covid-19 following their first contact training session yesterday.

The players were tested on Monday but the results, which revealed the coronavirus case, were only made known yesterday afternoon.

Alex Neil’s squad took part in a 10 v 10 practice game at their Springfields training ground after becoming one of the first Championship clubs to begin contact training.

The unnamed player will have to self-isolate for seven days. Under the Government’s track and trace policy, the rest of the squad would have had to remain at home for 14 days, but football is being treated differently and the EFL’s protocol is that other members of the squad need only self-isolate if medical staff decide they have been in prolonged close contact with the player who was positive.

Yesterday’s news came after Preston striker Jayden Stockley was shown to have tested

positive on Friday and told to self-isolate for a week. He had been tested last Thursday but was asymptomatic.

Boss Neil will be hoping he does not lose any more members of his squad with the Championship due to restart on June 20.

Preston have had a good season and are in contention for a play-off place as they look to return to the top flight for the first time since 1960.

Meanwhile, Phil Foden became the latest Manchester

City player to break social-distancing rules, having been filmed playing beach football.

Foden, above, will be reminded of his responsibilities by City after being caught flouting the guidelines. The incident comes after City teammate Kyle Walker was given a fine for breaking the lockdown rules after allowing two female escorts to visit his flat during the height of the pandemic. City and England Under-21 star Foden, regarded as one of football’s brightest young talents, was challenged to a game by members of the public at Formby beach on Sunday.

The 20-year-old failed to observe the twometre distance rule as he joined the impromptu kickabout and posed for a photo with the group.