Super Eagles stars in the English Premier League have been caught up in a major coronavirus scare after the League confirmed a record number of positive Covid-19 tests over the course of the last two rounds of testing. In total, 40 positive results were returned – more than double the 18 recorded during the previous week.
Two rounds of coronavirus testing on players and staff between 28 December and 3 January revealed 40 new positive cases.
There were 28 new cases reportedly found in 1,311 tests administered between 28 December and 31 December, with a further 12 new cases from 984 tests between 1 January and 3 January.
Ola Aina (Fulham) Ndidi Winfred and Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) Alex Iwobi (Everton) and Semi Ajayi (West Brom) all ply the trade in England’s top tier and would now have to be extra vigilant in order not to get infected.
Aina’s Fulham have been worst-hit and forced to postpone their games against Tottenham and Burnley as a result while a growing coronavirus outbreak at Manchester City led to the postponement of their game at Iwobi’s Everton and forced the team to close its training ground.
But the Premier League is still expressing confidence that the correct safety procedures and protocols are in place for games to keep going ahead. Those fixtures that have had to be postponed so far will be rearranged as soon as possible.
A number of players were found to be breaking coronavirus restrictions over the Christmas period, including three from Tottenham attending an illegal gathering on Christmas Day. There have since been calls for football authorities to punish and ban players caught flouting the rules.