Three Premier League matches scheduled for the weekend were canceled on Monday for security reasons as authorities prepared for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Manchester United’s home games against Leeds and Liverpool’s against Chelsea on Sunday have been postponed. Brighton’s home game against Crystal Palace will continue to be postponed after it is canceled due to a transport strike that will not take place.
With this, the next day’s schedule will be reduced to seven duels. All the meetings of this day – between Saturday and Monday – have been postponed as a sign of respect after the death of the queen on Thursday.
Otherwise, football will return to the UK at all levels after a national break between Friday and Sunday. Monday’s match between Leeds and Nottingham Forest will not take place.
The English Football League – which controls the top three lower divisions – said there will be tribute to the queen in every game in the country when the league resumes, as will League One and League Two on Tuesday.
There will be a minute of silence before the matches and the players will wear a black sash, the flag will be lowered to half the stick and the anthem – “God Save the King” – will be sung before the matches.
However, the Premier League will not fully return as authorities assess logistical problems for Monday’s funeral that was attended by heads of state and royalty from around the world.
“With the national plan in place,” the EFL said, referring to the days leading up to the funeral where the Queen’s coffin will lie in London, “the league and clubs will continue to work with officials for any challenges that arise. “. for the safety of certain meetings “.
Some Premier League clubs will return to the pitch in European competitions between Tuesday and Thursday: Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham will play the Champions League and Manchester United, Arsenal and West Ham the Europa League or the Europa Conference League.
Liverpool will host Ajax on Tuesday and City will host Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
Encounters in London are the most dangerous due to the security operations for the Queen’s funeral.
Arsenal’s Europa League home game against PSV Eindhoven on Thursday was postponed due to “police resource constraints and organizational problems”.
UEFA and Arsenal face a problem to play the match on another date due to the tight schedule for the November and December World Cups in Qatar.
The same is true for Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Leeds, Brighton and Palace who will have to reschedule two games. They will probably be held next year.
Almost all sports in the UK resumed over the weekend after a hiatus on Friday, the day after the queen’s death at the age of 96.
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