Five Manchester City players remain isolated and will not be available for the game against Chelsea after contracting the coronavirus, coach Pep Guardiola said on Friday.
Prior to Sunday’s trip to Stamford Bridge, City returned to training once the virus outbreak caused the postponement of Monday’s duel with Everton in the Premier League.
The club has only identified Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus and defender Kyle Walker among the players who have tested positive in COVID-19.
For his part, Chelsea coach Frank Lampard said on Friday that there had been “a couple” of coronavirus cases among the team’s staff, but no player was infected.
The Premier League has indicated that it has no plans to suspend the tournament despite the increase in contagions nationwide caused by a variant of higher COVID-19 transmission.
Portugal’s Jose Mourinho, Tottenham’s helmsman, looked annoyed with the league in criticizing the decision to postpone the game against Fulham about three hours before its scheduled start on Wednesday at 6pm after ‘a coronavirus outbreak recorded in the ranks of his London rival.
“It seemed unprofessional to me, but it was,” Mourinho said on Friday. “We prepare for this meeting and of course we don’t play it and that alters a whole week of work.”
Tottenham will host the Leeds on Saturday.