Premier League Live Updates — Leeds Vs Arsenal Build-Up, Five Top-Flight Games Postponed Due To COVID-19, Latest News And More – The Athletic

When Manchester United are at their worst, David de Gea is often at his best and this has been true again this season.

The main thing for United is that the best-paid goalkeeper in world football is playing well again. Under Michael Carrick and now Ralf Rangnick, De Gea has three clean sheets in his last five games. Before that… no, let’s not go there.

Here is an analysis on De Gea finding form again.

Holly Percival·

Junior Editor, News

Jacob Whitehead

I’ve never waited so long on a Saturday for a game of football. This video from the visitors might get you in the mood.

They’ve arrived at the ground at least!

Jacob Whitehead

Jacob Whitehead

Brighton are still furious that they were refused a postponement against Wolves.

They feel they’ve been punished for acting swiftly in trying to control Covid numbers. #BHAFC

— Andy Naylor (@AndyNaylorBHAFC) December 18, 2021

Manchester United sacked Jose Mourinho on this day in 2018, as they sat 6th in the Premier League and a mere 19 points behind leaders Liverpool.

They replaced him with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was made caretaker manager…

Rob Sills

Elsewhere in Europe, there are only a handful of games being contested at the moment. In Serie A, Roma are leading 2-1 away against Atalanta at half-time, with Tammy Abraham bagging his fifth league goal of the season there.

Real Vallecano are close to beating Deportivo Alaves 2-0 in Spain, with that game almost finished. And there are five Bundesliga games that kicked off at 2:30pm in Germany which are all goalless at the time of writing, apart from Union Berlin who have taken an early lead at VFL Bochum.

(Photo: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)

Rob Sills

Rob Sills

Jacob Whitehead

The Athletic understands that the Premier League met just before noon today to decide whether the game could proceed. Villa had requested for the game to be called off at 10.30, with Burnley receiving confirmation at 12.15 that the game was off.

The Burnley players, who have returned no positive results, were still at the hotel having their pre-match meal when the game was called off.

Full story here.

Jacob Whitehead

Jacob Whitehead

The @BBCMOTD running order: Leeds United v Arsenal. Surely no one disagrees this week….then again, it is Twitter.

— Gary Lineker ? (@GaryLineker) December 18, 2021

Jacob Whitehead

Full story here.

More cases emerged in the Villa camp overnight. That’s the tenth game cancelled in the past week.

(Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Jacob Whitehead

Jacob Whitehead

#AVFC have recorded more positive COVID cases overnight. Waiting for an update on whether the game with #BurnleyFC goes ahead…

— Gregg Evans (@greggevans40) December 18, 2021

As of Thursday, Bielsa had 10 senior players available – Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Dallas, Koch, Klich, Harrison, Raphinha, Roberts and Forshaw. And Koch is by no stretch 100 per cent match fit. This could end up being one of the youngest or least experienced benches Leeds have ever named.

Is it unfair that clubs are having games called off for COVID-19, but Leeds are forced to play on?

Jacob Whitehead

It’s Saudi Arabia vs Abu Dhabi this weekend – but not in the international sphere.

Jack Pitt-Brooke writes: “Fans and pundits often talk about wanting to keep “politics out of football” but this is now one of the most inherently political games anywhere in sport. Nothing tells us more about modern Premier League football — its global projection, its openness to foreign wealth — than the fact that these two teams are in these hands. And as both states face accusations of “sportswashing” their human rights records, it raises questions about why Premier League clubs are so attractive to owners like these.”

More below.

Jacob Whitehead

Jacob Whitehead

Back in the game.

Pep Guardiola will be able to take charge of Manchester City’s Premier League away game at Newcastle having returned a negative COVID-19 test.

The City manager had to take a PCR test after a lateral flow test showed an inconclusive result when he arrived at the training ground earlier on Friday. He was forced to miss the pre-match press conference as a result.

His most recent COVID-19 result, however, has come back negative, giving him the all clear.

(Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Jacob Whitehead

Jacob Whitehead

Good move by Manchester United. Items which would have gone to waste after Brighton postponement being given to charity. Includes donation of ~4,000 fresh sandwiches, fruit + vegetables to local food banks; flowers from hospitality suites to St Ann’s Hospice. #MUFC

— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) December 18, 2021

Jacob Whitehead

ICYMI, last night the French Cup tie between Paris FC and Lyon was abandoned due to fan violence at Charlety stadium.

The second half of the last 64 game was delayed because of crowd trouble at half-time. Several flares were thrown towards Lyon supporters as fans appeared to be fighting each other.

Some supporters then descended onto the pitch which prevented the match from restarting.

The score was poised at 1-1 at the break after Lyon’s Ousmane Dembele cancelled out Gaetan Laura’s eighth-minute opener.

Incidents like this have been endemic this season. Read Tom Williams’ report on French fan violence below.

(Photo: BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images)

Jacob Whitehead