The FA Cup 3rd round: What is going to happen and how is Covid being dealt with?
Last Updated: January 5, 2021 6:15 pm
FA Cup Covid procedures
The upcoming fixtures of the third round of the FA Cup present concerns regarding how clubs will face possible coronavirus transmission. Premier League teams have been regularly tested throughout the pandemic and after Project Restart. Whereas other clubs, such as non-league side Marine who take on Tottenham Hotspur, have not been regularly tested.
The UK has recently entered a third lockdown whereby people are being instructed to stay at home where possible. This has led to an increase in focus on how how to deal with the competition between clubs who have not been regularly tested. Marine will be tested 72 hours before their match with Tottenham and this is being paid for by the FA.
Marine will undergo coronavirus testing 72 hours before their FA Cup tie with Spurs. If the game can’t be played the situation will be reviewed by the FA, who are paying for the tests. Spurs have been in contact with Marine over Covid-19 protocols as standard. #THFC
— Jonathan Veal (@jonathandveal83) January 4, 2021
If a team test positive and are unable to field a squad of players, the game could face the prospect of being forfeited but teams will apply to the FA for a review.
– All clubs in FA Cup to be tested 72 hours before game
– Tests at non-PL clubs paid for by Professional Game Board
– If game is off after Covid-19 tests, clubs to apply to FA for a reviewhttps://t.co/OdFNLPCxgv— Jonathan Veal (@jonathandveal83) January 4, 2021
Earlier in the season, Leyton Orient were forced to forfeit their League Cup match against Tottenham after the club Returned several positive covid-19 tests. The EFL at the time released the following statement:
‘In accordance with Carabao Cup Rules, Tottenham Hotspur have been awarded with a bye to progress to Round Four of the Carabao Cup and will now play Chelsea on Tuesday 29 September.
The Round Three tie scheduled for Tuesday 22 September between Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur could not take place following the issue by Waltham Forest Borough Council of an order preventing the match being played as planned.
This followed a number of Leyton Orient players testing positive for Covid-19.’
Whether the prospect of further postponement or forfeits will occur is down to the FA to decide.
Derby & Sheffield Wednesday at risk
There are already two matches in the FA Cup third round which are at risk from possible suspension. Both Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday have had several players and backroom staff test positive after the pair of clubs faced each other at the weekend.
The Telegraph understands that in excess of 7 members of staff have so far tested positive for the virus. The East Midlands club face non-league Chorley in the third round of the competition with their opposition will also go through a round of tests 72 hours ahead of kick-off.
Sheffield Wednesday, who played Derby at the weekend, has had to shut down their training ground due to a spike in positive test results.
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – JANUARY 26: A general view of a corner flag at Hillsborough Stadium ahead of The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Sheffield Wednesday and Reading on January 26, 2018 in Sheffield, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
Over the Christmas period a number of players were found to have broken coronavirus regulations including Spurs‘ Erik Lamela, Sergio Regulon and Giovanni Lo Celso in addition to West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini.
Manchester City full-back Benjamin Mendy was also found to have broken regulations. The correlation between the recent rise in cases across the English footballing sphere and the increase in reported coronavirus breaches is seemingly not a coincidence.
Premier League Covid cases on the rise as Arsenal and Spurs stars the latest to test positive
Insight provided into Man City’s Covid cases as matchday squad (including Benjamin Mendy) to face Chelsea unveiled
This article was edited by Josh Barker.
Tottenham betting odds, next game:
Tottenham vs Burnley odds: result, both teams to score, correct score & goalscorers
| Tottenham vs Burnley Result/Both teams score | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Tottenham | 5/2 | 6/4 |
| Burnley | 10/1 | 9/1 |
| Draw | 9/2 | 10/1 |
| Tottenham vs Burnley Goalscorers | First | Last | Anytime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 11/10 | 11/10 | 4/7 |
| Heung-Min Son | 7/4 | 7/4 | 1/1 |
| Carlos Vinicius | 2/1 | 2/1 | 21/20 |
| Chris Wood | 3/1 | 3/1 | 5/2 |
| Dane Scarlett | 3/1 | 3/1 | 8/5 |
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| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester City FC | 26 | 36 | 62 |
| 2 | Manchester United FC | 25 | 21 | 49 |
| 3 | Leicester City FC | 25 | 17 | 49 |
| 4 | West Ham United FC | 26 | 9 | 45 |
| 5 | Chelsea FC | 25 | 16 | 43 |
| 6 | Liverpool FC | 25 | 11 | 40 |
| 7 | Everton FC | 24 | 4 | 40 |
| 8 | Aston Villa FC | 23 | 11 | 36 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 24 | 10 | 36 |
| 10 | Leeds United | 25 | 0 | 35 |
| 11 | Arsenal FC | 25 | 5 | 34 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 25 | -6 | 33 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace FC | 25 | -14 | 32 |
| 14 | Southampton FC | 25 | -12 | 30 |
| 15 | Burnley FC | 25 | -12 | 28 |
| 16 | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 25 | -6 | 26 |
| 17 | Newcastle United FC | 25 | -17 | 25 |
| 18 | Fulham FC | 25 | -11 | 22 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 25 | -36 | 14 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 25 | -26 | 11 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 17 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 15 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 13 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 13 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 13 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 13 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 12 |
| Gundogan, Ilkay | Manchester City FC | 11 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 10 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 9 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 9 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 9 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 8 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 8 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 8 |
| Aubameyang, Pierre-Emerick | Arsenal FC | 8 |
| Soucek, Tomas | West Ham United FC | 8 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United FC | 7 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 8 |
| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 8 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 7 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 6 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 6 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 7 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 6 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Hojbjerg, Pierre | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 0 | 6 |
| Xhaka, Granit | Arsenal FC | 1 | 5 |
| Maguire, Harry | Manchester United FC | 0 | 6 |
| Romeu, Oriol | Southampton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Luiz, Douglas | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Kante, N`Golo | Chelsea FC | 0 | 6 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 0 | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Dallas, Stuart | Leeds United | 0 | 5 |
| Soucek, Tomas | West Ham United FC | 1 | 4 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 11 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 10 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 10 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 6 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 6 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 6 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 6 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 5 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 5 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 5 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 5 |
| Robertson, Andrew | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Shaw, Luke | Manchester United FC | 5 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 4 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 4 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 4 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 4 |
