HIGHS & GLOWS!
QPR and Bournemouth have been fined by the FA following a stoppage-time bust-up in last month’s Championship match.
The two clubs were charged for failure to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion at the Hoops’ home on December 27. An altercation erupted following a challenge between Dominic Solanke and Yoann Barbet (above), which also saw QPR’s Andre Dozzell sent off for a second yellow after he clashed with Chris Mepham.
“QPR and Bournemouth have been fined £5,000 and £25,000, respectively,” the FA confirmed.
PREMIER LEAGUE clubs have been ordered to play this weekend’s FA Cup ties – even if they have to put out the kids.
Manchester City have been hit by a series of positive tests which has ruled out Pep Guardiola and up to seven players at Swindon.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche (above) has also tested positive while virus-hit Liverpool were forced to postpone last night’s Carabao Cup semi-final at Arsenal.
But top-flight clubs are being told to utilise academy players.
The Prem said in a letter to all 20 clubs: “We also believe it is an approach that helps assist squad availability during a congested January fixture schedule and best protects the balance between maintaining the integrity of the League and ensuring fixtures are fulfilled.”
vTomorrow, 5.30pm
GRANT McCANN is focused on Hull’s FA Cup clash with Everton tomorrow – even though Acun Ilicali’s £30million takeover means it could be his last game in charge.
Ilicali is imminently set to become the new owner of the Championship club and McCann may not survive, with the Turk tycoon keen to bring in his own team.
McCann (above), who won promotion from League One last season, refuses to worry about his future and said: “I can’t control that, so I can’t think about it.
“All that stuff inside the club is nothing to do with me. There’s never any talk of that around the training ground.
“My focus is on preparing the players as best I can for Everton.” 21 members of their first-team bubble forced to isolate ahead of tonight’s third round tie at Swindon Town.
These include boss Pep Guardiola (above) and his assistant Juanma Lillo, who tested positive earlier this week, while seven members of the playing squad have also been affected.
And even more players and staff could still test positive before the game, with City waiting anxiously for more results to come back from PCR tests.
Guardiola will watch the match from home and communicate his instructions via a mobile phone to assistant coach Rodolfo Borrell, who will take charge of the team.
Borrell said: “We are getting it day by day and don’t know where it is going to end.”