Never thought I would feel seriously sorry for Derby fans…… …..but apparently Mike Ashley is preparing a bid for the club.
EFL under pressure to investigate Liverpool postponement after Klopp admission By Simon Hughes 10 January 2022Updated 9:01 PM GMT please log in to view this image The EFL is under pressure to investigate why Liverpool players who tested positive for COVID-19 before the postponement of their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Arsenal were subsequently found to have been negative, with the Anfield club facing questions over the scale of their recent outbreak. The Athletic understands that the EFL has received complaints from some of its clubs over the postponement, following Jurgen Klopp’s admission that all but one of the club’s positive tests were ‘false positives’ — meaning later tests showed those players did not actually have COVID-19. It is believed that confused clubs want clarity over exactly when Liverpool found out this information, as if it was before the Arsenal match, there is a chance the fixture could have proceeded as planned. The upset clubs want the situation investigated because a number of them have requested postponements this season because of COVID-19 outbreaks only for appeals to be rejected. The EFL is facing calls from clubs to open an investigation into the incident which could lead to Liverpool facing a severe punishment should it be found the club failed to fulfil a fixture without just cause. The match on January 6 was rescheduled after Liverpool reported a “rapidly growing number” of COVID-19 cases to the EFL, who acted in line with government guidance by postponing the fixture. The EFL said in a statement at the time: “Having now fully reviewed the circumstances involved, the league has accepted Liverpool’s request after determining, albeit reluctantly, that a postponement was the only option as the club looks to mitigate against the further risk of infection amongst its squad and staff alongside ensuring public health was protected by not travelling from Liverpool to London.” Klopp has said, however, that later tests showed that only one player, Trent Alexander-Arnold, actually had the virus. According to sources, Liverpool underwent at least two rounds of testing prior to the postponement. The first round, involving the use of lateral flow device (LFD) tests, highlighted a number of positive cases. The second round, involving the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests carried out by an independent laboratory, also highlighted a number of positive cases. But a third round of tests conducted after the scheduled first leg indicated that the players in question were in fact negative. Liverpool did not comment when asked to confirm this and to explain when the results of the third set of tests were revealed. ‘False positive’ LFD results are considered highly unusual, with analysis by NHS Test and Trace showing LFD tests to have an estimated specificity of at least 99.97 per cent. The chance of a succession of ‘false positive’ results is therefore considered extremely unlikely. On Sunday, after the club’s FA Cup victory over League One Shrewsbury Town, Klopp said that Alexander-Arnold was the only player to actually test positive. “We had last week a proper outbreak and it showed up that we had a lot of false positives but the rules are like they are so all these players who are false positives couldn’t play. “The only real positive came from Trent Alexander-Arnold and all the rest were false positives.” It is thought that EFL clubs want to be provided with greater clarity surrounding rules on postponements following Liverpool’s successful appeal to have their Carabao Cup tie with Arsenal pushed back and the questions now being asked about ‘false positives’.
Also Leicester's 2nd postponement v Everton tomorrow night. They cited they didn't have enough players again through injury, covid and AFCON yet managed to put out a side to beat Watford 4-1 in the Cup on Saturday ! The team included Maddison, Barnes, Tielemens and Lookman. Schmeichel was rested. Surely if they could field that side on Saturday why not again on Tuesday as no player got injured, all very strange and there seems to be some underhand tactics taking place in certain quarters
Six people are reported to have been killed and dozens hurt in a crush outside a stadium hosting an Africa Cup of Nations match in Cameroon. Video footage showed football fans struggling to get access to the Paul Biya stadium in a neighbourhood of the capital Yaounde. Naseri Paul Biya, governor of Cameroon's central region, said there may be more casualties, AP News said. Another report said a number of children had lost consciousness.
So.....the premier league now have a 2 week break.....and we have to play a game every 4 days for a month or so........
Where would Derby be if they hadn't had a points deduction? John Swift, 26, has had 11 assists this season, with 8 goals, as a central midfielder. Wish we had him.
John Swift is a Reading player, not Derby..and yes he tore us apart at theirs. We will see him on Saturday... I would like not to see him play...and us sign him on Monday.. Nice dream
Even if we have no intention of buying him, why don't we put a bid in for him just to disrupt their preparations ? I sometimes think we have divs running our club, would seem obvious to me lol
This is brilliant, the sort of cheek that a certain Moroccan would have tried for us, once upon a time.
Seriously, what planet are those who run the world game on........ Fifa president Gianni Infantino says biennial World Cup can help save African lives https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60145227