Man Utd and Liverpool could lose key men for 10 days in Covid quarantine chaos

Title rivals Manchester United and Liverpool are among the clubs who could be impacted by the government's new quarantine rules.

New guidelines state that anyone coming back from a "red list" nation must self-isolate for 10 days in an airport hotel – with no exceptions for elite sportsmen and women.

Current "red list" nations include Argentina and Brazil alongside the rest of South America, as well as Portugal.

The rules look set to cause unprecedented chaos to a number of the Premier League's biggest clubs during the next international break in March.

Liverpool would potentially lose four key players, including Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Diogo Jota.

While Manchester United would be without the likes of Alex Telles, Fred, Edinson Cavani and star midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Manchester City face the prospect of missing seven first-team stars, while Wolves would be worst hit with nine absentees.

It leaves clubs in a precarious position with the title race finely poised and time running out for a solution to be found.

Fifa previously said that clubs would not have to release players if they faced a mandatory quarantine period of "at least five days."

However, it's not clear whether that advice still holds and no decision has been made over whether clubs will be ordered to release their players for international duty.

Premier League clubs are hoping world chiefs will step in and order South American and Portuguese stars to stay in this country.

But with the UK the only nation to have a "red list" of countries, it's far from certain that there will be any top level intervention.

It leaves clubs facing the very real possibility that they will be forced to lose key players at a crucial time in the season through no fault of their own.

Liverpool's trip to Arsenal on 3 April is one of the games that would be affected, as could Man United's visit to Spurs a week later.

Premier League sides also face being without star names for the first-leg of any potential Champions League and Europa League quarter-final ties.

Source: Read Full Article