Southampton 'seek clarity' from Premier League over Newcastle United decision

The fixture was yesterday postponed by the Premier League after relegation-threatened Newcastle United’s squad was decimated by Covid-19 cases and injuries.

Southampton, according to the PA news agency, are “frustrated” by the club's inability to field a team, having themselves had to use youth-team players during an injury crisis last season.

The Premier League said yesterday that its board had accepted Newcastle did not have the required number of available outfield players – 13 – to fulfil the fixture.

Southampton’s query follows pointed comments from manager Ralph Hassenhuttl, who had suggested that United’s game against Everton on Thursday should not have been postponed.

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe, already without a number of senior players due to Covid-19, had lost three players to injury, and another to suspension, on Monday night, when Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw at St James’s Park.

"There’s talk about cancelling games because teams have a lot of injuries, but there were times last season where we had nine out injured – and we played academy players,” said Hassenhuttl.

“That was maybe the toughest half of a season here. Injuries are not Covid cases. Injuries are also here for us.

"They (Newcastle) had seven or eight players on the bench during their last game, and now they have two more injuries. They should still have thirteen players plus one (goalkeeper). This is the message from the Premier League.”

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