Riots Threaten Premiership Schedule

The Premier League will decide on Thursday if the opening weekend’s matches will go ahead or not – following another night of rioting around the country.

Rioting began on Saturday in London and have since spread around the country.

As it stands, there are three Premier League fixtures set to take place in the capital this weekend – Tottenham v Everton, Fulham v Aston Villa, and QPR v Bolton.

A joint statement from the Premier League and Football League read: ‘We’re in talks with our London clubs, the police and authorities’.
 
‘A further statement will be made after the situation is reviewed on Thursday’.

The statement also added that there was no reason to think that matches outside of London would be affected – however, the statement was released before rioting escalated in Manchester and the West Midlands.

West Bromwich host Manchester United on Sunday at 1600 BST before Manchester City play at home to Swansea on Monday at 2000 BST.

Wednesday’s planned international friendly between England and the Netherlands has been called off, as well as Ghana’s friendly with Nigeria – scheduled to have taken place on Tuesday at Watford’s Vicarage Road.

Carling Cup matches at Charlton, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Bristol City have also been postponed.