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Villa Gerrard boss tests positive for Covid-19
Aston Villa head coach Steven Gerrard will miss the club’s next two Premier League games after testing positive for Covid-19, the club announced on Saturday.
“Aston Villa can confirm that head coach Steven Gerrard will be unable to attend our next two Premier League games with Chelsea and Leeds United as he will go into self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19,” the club tweeted .
Gerrard will miss Boxing Day’s home game against Chelsea and Tuesday’s visit to Leeds, if that game continues.
Aston Villa’s final game, at home against Burnley, was postponed shortly before kick-off on December 18 after a coronavirus outbreak at the Villa camp.
Three of the Premier League games scheduled for Sunday have been called off, including Leeds’ visit to Liverpool, due to a Covid outbreak and injury concerns at the Yorkshire club. That puts a question mark over Villa’s game at Elland Road on December 28.
On Wednesday, Gerrard said it would be a “nightmare” if his club had to face two games in two days with just 14 players available. Everyone at the club was worried about a potential infection, he added.
“We had a situation this weekend where one of the players was reluctant to get out of his car because he was showing symptoms and had a young family, and you can fully understand his perspective on his situation. “said Gerrard.
“No one wants to catch this virus. Everyone wants to protect their own family. This is our job and your priority will always be your family, of course.
A total of 25 Boxing Day matches in English football’s top four divisions have been postponed after two more Football League matches were canceled.
Luton’s home game against Bristol City became the seventh postponed League game, while Carlisle’s League Two home game with Rochdale was also postponed.
Luton and Carlisle both reported outbreaks of Covid in their teams.
Only 10 games in the three lower divisions have yet to take place on Boxing Day.
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