Roy Hodgson is ‘very, very concerned’ over recent coronavirus outbreaks within football

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson admits he is ‘very, very concerned’ about the recent coronavirus outbreaks within football clubs and fears for the Premier League.

Hodgson shared his concern after Manchester City announced that their clash with Everton on Monday night had been postponed after three more members of Pep Guardiola’s first-team squad tested positive for coronavirus. 

The former England manager believes it will be ‘impossible’ to ‘totally shield’ footballers from the virus.

Roy Hodgson (above) says he is 'very, very concerned' about the recent coronavirus outbreaks

Roy Hodgson (above) says he is ‘very, very concerned’ about the recent coronavirus outbreaks

‘My hope is that we can survive it and keep banging on through, as it were,’ said 73-year-old Hodgson. ‘But I would lie if I didn’t say I am concerned about the frequency of the virus at this moment in time.

‘I don’t see how we in football are going to be so particularly shielded from it even though we are trying so hard to remain shielded.’

An outbreak at Manchester City linked to a Carabao Cup game at Arsenal last week forced their Premier League game against Everton, on Monday night, to be postponed.

He shared his concern after Manchester City's game against Everton was postponed

He shared his concern after Manchester City’s game against Everton was postponed

Gabriel Jesus was among the Manchester City players to have previously tested positive

Gabriel Jesus was among the Manchester City players to have previously tested positive 

‘I have full confidence in everything the Premier League is doing to make certain we keep the virus away,’ said former England manager Hodgson.

‘What this is showing is that when the virus is spreading quite rapidly, it is impossible for people no matter how well shielded they are by the Premier League and the protocols we have.

‘It is impossible to totally shield people because they are human beings and they leave the football club and go home, meet their children who are coming back from school, and they have to do their shopping.

‘So yes it’s very, very concerning I must say.’

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