Huge PL decision looms

By Dave Langton

The Premier League has a huge decision to make.

The suspension of the weekend’s game after the death of Queen Elizabeth II has placed their decision-making under the microscope but more disruption may be on the way.

The late monarch’s funeral takes place next Monday, meaning that thousands of police officers are going to be redeployed to the capital.

That places this weekend’s games in London under very real threat: Spurs play Leicester at home, while Brentford host Arsenal and Chelsea play Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

But that also raises the question of sporting integrity if the league decides to pick and choose its cancellations.

The Hammers’ game against Everton is likely to be unaffected because it is at Goodison Park but there is a possibility that the league could look to make a blanket decision to avoid any potential unhappiness among its clubs.

Suspending the three London games would leave those six clubs with two games in hand – one from last weekend, one from this – and there are questions of whether that would be deemed fair by those around them.

The messaging appears to be that the league will attempt to get as many games on as possible, but there is a very real chance that all 10 Premier League games this weekend are called off. Again.