Ralph in a rage over Toon postponement
RALPH Hasenhuttl was furious after the Premier League accepted Newcastle’s request to have their match at Southampton tomorrow postponed.
It is the 18th Premier League game to be called off in the last three weeks.
And the addition of injuries as a factor in the Premier League board’s assessment of each postponement request — rather than simply Covid cases — has fuelled Hasenhuttl’s anger.
Southampton have lodged a complaint with the Premier League about the process.
They have been forced to turn to their youth ranks on numerous occasions during the pandemic when low on numbers, in part due to injuries.
This was the case at Manchester United last season when they had to name a bench of youngsters for the 9-0 thrashing.
There is now growing concern that the rules are being exploited around a club’s injuries. The Premier League granted Newcastle’s request ‘as the club does not have the required number of players available for the match (13 outfield players and one goalkeeper).’
A lack of clarity has sparked doubts over whether Newcastle genuinely could not pick a team to face Southampton from all the first-team and youth players at their disposal.
Newcastle also had Thursday’s trip to Everton postponed. After they drew 1-1 with Manchester United on Monday, manager Eddie Howe warned they were ‘dangerously close’ to not being able to pick a team.
They only named eight substitutes against Manchester United and lost key players Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin, plus Ryan Fraser, to injury during the game.
It is understood there have been more Covid cases at Newcastle’s training ground this week but they did train yesterday morning before their request for a postponement was granted.
Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard would back an extension to the Premier League season amid fears Covid will wreak more havoc.
The Aston Villa boss missed his team’s 3-1 home defeat by Chelsea last Saturday as he was isolating after contracting the virus for the second time, but he took training yesterday and expects to be in the dugout at Brentford tomorrow.
‘You want the competition to be as strong and fair as you can all the way to the end,’ said Gerrard.
‘I will support whatever it takes to get the games finished in the best competitive way. If that means extending the season, I’ll back it.’
With the World Cup taking place next winter there is little scope for a break, but the integrity of the Premier League is likely to be at stake if postponements continue at the current rate.
The Premier League yesterday announced new dates for three of the postponed fixtures.
Southampton will host Brentford and Everton take on Leicester on Tuesday, January 11. West Ham will face Norwich the following day.
Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder suspects clubs are using Covid as an excuse to force postponement.
Wilder was furious when the EFL insisted Boro recall loan players to fulfil today’s trip to Sheffield United, despite losing nine players and 10 staff to the virus this week.
The EFL eventually relented yesterday afternoon and the game was postponed after further positive cases.
But Wilder said: ‘People have been cutting corners. We’re not. This is genuine. I’m not that type of manager, this isn’t that type of club.
‘Let’s put the cards on the table. Will some clubs have bent the rules to dodge a fixture? In my opinion, 100 per cent.
‘I’m a man of integrity and honesty. I will play a game anywhere against anybody on a level playing field. But we have been absolutely decimated from a player and staff point of view.’