It’s a time of mourning in the United Kingdom following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, with the FA, EFL and Premier League announcing a last-minute postponement of all fixtures this weekend.
Whilst the decision itself has left many fans and pundits scratching their heads as other sports across the country continue to carry on as normal, such as cricket and rugby union, the postponement of football around the United Kingdom could come with a few positives for some players and clubs, particularly in the Premier League.
With the schedule this season the most intense in some years, a short break from weekend matches could have some good long-term effects for specific teams, who are already suffering from the simple fact that they now simply don’t have enough time off the pitch to sort stuff out.
With that being said, here are HITC Sport’s five biggest winners of the Premier League’s last-minute postponement for the fixtures this weekend, and the effects this decision could have in the weeks to come in all corners of the league table.
Liverpool
Liverpool’s poor start to the season has been attributed to one big thing, injuries, and a weekend off from Premier League football could give Jurgen Klopp a huge amount of room to breathe as well as time to formulate a plan to get himself out of this sticky situation.
Whilst the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Ibrahima Konate and Naby Keita won’t be back until October at the earliest, giving the majority of the squad some much-needed time off could be a simple remedy to solving Liverpool’s poor form, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and James Milner already looking shattered this season.
Graham Potter
Graham Potter was rushed in to replace Thomas Tuchel as manager of Chelsea following the German’s dismissal on Wednesday, yet the English coach has now been handed quite the incredible hand with Premier League games this weekend being postponed.
The decision gives the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager time to get to know his new squad and his new surroundings, and with Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League clash against RB Salzburg set to go ahead this Wednesday, Potter having these few extra days could go a long way in being a success with the west London side.
Newcastle United
Liverpool might be the biggest club in the Premier League with severe injury problems, but they’re far from the only one as Newcastle United themselves also find themselves with a crisis of sorts, with Eddie Howe missing numerous players that could be considered crucial for the Magpies.
Callum Wilson is currently on the injury table alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Allan Saint-Maximin, three players have missed the last Newcastle fixture against Crystal Palace and a trio who, when they return, can get the Toon back to winning ways, something that could now be sped-up with no Premier League game this weekend.
Thomas Partey
Arsenal and injuries go hand-in-hand like strawberries and cream, and Mikel Arteta’s side are already feeling the effects of a congested season with both Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny out on the injury table, though from what reports suggest, the Egyptian international could be out for the majority of the year.
However, Partey could be back sooner than expected for Arsenal, with reports this week suggesting that the £45m Atletico Madrid signing could have returned to face Everton this weekend before the Premier League’s postponement, and this weekend break could see the midfield dynamo return to 100% ahead of Brentford on Sunday.
Brighton & Hove Albion
With Potter’s move to Chelsea happening in a flash, Brighton & Hove Albion currently find themselves in something of a daze, with the Seagulls now scrambling to find a replacement who can both carry on the good work the English coach did but can also elevate the club to a new standing in the seasons to come.
Indeed, whilst there are some good candidates already in the running for the Brighton job. the Premier League’s postponement this weekend has given the south coach side valuable time to find a replacement, with the Seagulls already off next week due to rail strikes for their clash against rivals Crystal Palace.
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