<p>Premier League chiefs postponed a third English top-flight match due to coronavirus outbreaks on Wednesday but said they had full confidence in their protocols despite calls for a "circuit-breaker".</p>.<p>Tottenham's home match against Fulham was scrapped just three hours before the scheduled 1800 GMT kick-off after a number of Covid-19 cases at the visiting club.</p>.<p>It is the third top-flight game to be wiped out by the virus, following Newcastle's match with Aston Villa earlier this month and Monday's game between Everton and Manchester City.</p>.<p>The Premier League announced on Tuesday there had been a season-high 18 positive tests in its latest round of testing across the competition, already compressed due to the late start to the season.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-india-world-karnataka-maharashtra-tamil-nadu-delhi-kerala-gujarat-Bengaluru-deaths-cases-recoveries-Covid-19-vaccine-pfizer-moderna-AstraZeneca-933093.html"><strong>For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here</strong></a></p>.<p>Further down the English football pyramid, postponements are mounting, with seven of the 12 games scheduled for Tuesday in the third-tier League One called off due to coronavirus infections.</p>.<p>Britain is struggling with another surge in the virus, with an overall death toll of more than 72,500 -- one of the worst in the world.</p>.<p>After Manchester City's trip to Everton on Monday was postponed due to a Covid outbreak in Pep Guardiola's squad, all five matches scheduled for Tuesday went ahead.</p>.<p>But Scott Parker's Fulham asked for their game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to be called off, which the Premier League board sanctioned on Wednesday.</p>.<p> It is understood Spurs are unhappy about the decision and the timing of it.</p>.<p>There had been speculation throughout the day that the game might be called off and manager Jose Mourinho indicated his frustration in an Instagram post shortly after 1400 GMT.</p>.<p>Mourinho posted a video on his account of his staff waiting for news with a message which read: "We still don't know if we play. Best league in the world."</p>.<p>The Premier League confirmed the decision to postpone the game was taken following a meeting on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"Fulham lodged a request with the Premier League board to rearrange the fixture following a significant rise in positive Covid-19 cases, as well as a number of players showing symptoms today," it said in a statement.</p>.<p>"The Premier League board has consulted its medical advisers and the decision to postpone the game has been taken as a precaution and with the health of players and staff as the priority. The group will now be re-tested immediately."</p>.<p>Press reports said representatives of some Premier League clubs had discussed a two-week "cooling off" period next month, and West Brom boss Sam Allardyce backed the so-called circuit breaker.</p>.<p>But Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said he had confidence in the rules in place.</p>.<p>"I think the protocol the Premier League put in place is really good," he said. "We feel safe in our bubble. But outside, I have to pay attention, like all the normal people have to pay attention to."</p>.<p>Despite the rising number of cases across the English top-flight, the Premier League said it intended to continue matches, with no plans for a shutdown to mirror the three-month stoppage earlier this year.</p>.<p>League officials are desperate to avoid suspending the season with broadcast contracts to honour and the postponed European Championship looming in June.</p>.<p>"With low numbers of positive tests across the overwhelming majority of clubs, the Premier League continues to have full confidence in its Covid-19 protocols and being able to continue to play our fixtures as scheduled," the Premier League statement said.</p>.<p>Manchester City were due to return to training on Wednesday after no new positive cases of coronavirus were reported following the latest round of testing.</p>.<p>More tests will take place later in the week, the results of which will determine whether Sunday's trip to Chelsea and next week's League Cup semi-final at Manchester United can go ahead.</p>.<p>Premier League leaders Liverpool are due to travel to Newcastle for Wednesday's late match.</p>.<p>Sports fans will be barred across England after the government placed almost the entire country under tougher restrictions.</p>.<p>Until the rules were tightened, 10 clubs in the Premier League and English Football League, including Liverpool and Everton, had been able to admit supporters.</p>
<p>Premier League chiefs postponed a third English top-flight match due to coronavirus outbreaks on Wednesday but said they had full confidence in their protocols despite calls for a "circuit-breaker".</p>.<p>Tottenham's home match against Fulham was scrapped just three hours before the scheduled 1800 GMT kick-off after a number of Covid-19 cases at the visiting club.</p>.<p>It is the third top-flight game to be wiped out by the virus, following Newcastle's match with Aston Villa earlier this month and Monday's game between Everton and Manchester City.</p>.<p>The Premier League announced on Tuesday there had been a season-high 18 positive tests in its latest round of testing across the competition, already compressed due to the late start to the season.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-india-world-karnataka-maharashtra-tamil-nadu-delhi-kerala-gujarat-Bengaluru-deaths-cases-recoveries-Covid-19-vaccine-pfizer-moderna-AstraZeneca-933093.html"><strong>For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here</strong></a></p>.<p>Further down the English football pyramid, postponements are mounting, with seven of the 12 games scheduled for Tuesday in the third-tier League One called off due to coronavirus infections.</p>.<p>Britain is struggling with another surge in the virus, with an overall death toll of more than 72,500 -- one of the worst in the world.</p>.<p>After Manchester City's trip to Everton on Monday was postponed due to a Covid outbreak in Pep Guardiola's squad, all five matches scheduled for Tuesday went ahead.</p>.<p>But Scott Parker's Fulham asked for their game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to be called off, which the Premier League board sanctioned on Wednesday.</p>.<p> It is understood Spurs are unhappy about the decision and the timing of it.</p>.<p>There had been speculation throughout the day that the game might be called off and manager Jose Mourinho indicated his frustration in an Instagram post shortly after 1400 GMT.</p>.<p>Mourinho posted a video on his account of his staff waiting for news with a message which read: "We still don't know if we play. Best league in the world."</p>.<p>The Premier League confirmed the decision to postpone the game was taken following a meeting on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"Fulham lodged a request with the Premier League board to rearrange the fixture following a significant rise in positive Covid-19 cases, as well as a number of players showing symptoms today," it said in a statement.</p>.<p>"The Premier League board has consulted its medical advisers and the decision to postpone the game has been taken as a precaution and with the health of players and staff as the priority. The group will now be re-tested immediately."</p>.<p>Press reports said representatives of some Premier League clubs had discussed a two-week "cooling off" period next month, and West Brom boss Sam Allardyce backed the so-called circuit breaker.</p>.<p>But Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said he had confidence in the rules in place.</p>.<p>"I think the protocol the Premier League put in place is really good," he said. "We feel safe in our bubble. But outside, I have to pay attention, like all the normal people have to pay attention to."</p>.<p>Despite the rising number of cases across the English top-flight, the Premier League said it intended to continue matches, with no plans for a shutdown to mirror the three-month stoppage earlier this year.</p>.<p>League officials are desperate to avoid suspending the season with broadcast contracts to honour and the postponed European Championship looming in June.</p>.<p>"With low numbers of positive tests across the overwhelming majority of clubs, the Premier League continues to have full confidence in its Covid-19 protocols and being able to continue to play our fixtures as scheduled," the Premier League statement said.</p>.<p>Manchester City were due to return to training on Wednesday after no new positive cases of coronavirus were reported following the latest round of testing.</p>.<p>More tests will take place later in the week, the results of which will determine whether Sunday's trip to Chelsea and next week's League Cup semi-final at Manchester United can go ahead.</p>.<p>Premier League leaders Liverpool are due to travel to Newcastle for Wednesday's late match.</p>.<p>Sports fans will be barred across England after the government placed almost the entire country under tougher restrictions.</p>.<p>Until the rules were tightened, 10 clubs in the Premier League and English Football League, including Liverpool and Everton, had been able to admit supporters.</p>