Chelsea's Premier League clash with Liverpool is "highly likely" to be called off this weekend.
Pressures on police resources in London ahead of the Queen's funeral are believed to be the decisive factor with the Stamford Bridge fixture - scheduled for Sunday at 4.30pm - set to be postponed. Professional matches across the UK were called off last weekend following the monarch's passing, aged 96, on Thursday.
The SPFL and Irish FA have announced that matches may resume from Tuesday after being postponed as a mark of respect. But no such decision has been taken on England's Premier League as yet. The Mirror report new Chelsea boss Graham Potter will likely be made to wait for his dugout debut after moving to London from Brighton - it's said concerns on the number of officers available is driving the anticipated decision.
Planned events to commemorate the life of Elizabeth II and mark the accession of King Charles III to the throne are said to be requiring the presence of around 10,000 police officers. A report in the Daily Mail on Monday morning also stated that Manchester United vs Leeds at Old Trafford is also featuring in authorities' discussions and could be called off.
On Thursday, Arsenal were set to host PSV Eindhoven in the Europa League but the UEFA have announced in a statement that the match will not go ahead “due to the severe limitations on police resources and organisational issues related to the ongoing events". There's already been disruption to European fixtures in Scotland after Rangers' Champions League clash at home to Napoli was delayed 24 hours - that match will now take place on Wednesday night at 8pm.
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