These lists below are based on assumptions. It shows 27 players on the left with the ones highlighted in yellow being those named last night (red text was on bench). On the right are the 15 players without injury/suspension/covid but 3 of those are keepers so leaving only 12 outfield. There's 4 players with UNKNOWN as they could be covid though not all confirmed as this isn't made public. On assumptions, there's now 7 injured at the moment with the 3 injured prior to last night highlighted in orange. Hayden is in blue as he returning from his suspension.
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Howe and others will have known after it was clear ASM & Wilson weren't playing the next game, that they still had 18 players (15 outfield). This was before the questionable Manquillo booking and Fraser & Schar supposed injuries meaning 4 injuries and 1 suspension from 1 game.
The question is, how many players are missing due to covid and just how many are 'genuine' injuries? With the Mags it's possibly 4 with covid and 8 missing due to non covid so clearly a majority down to non covid if assumptions are correct. If the vast majority are down to injuries/suspensions with only a few covid cases then teams should have to bring in some U23's (say half of what they have injured etc).
There is of course more than just the players as there's other staff etc that could have covid. I think this is all considered as it's no good having all players fit if the rest of the club is riddled with covid.
Good post.
I agree about bringing in academy or u23 players. Unless they have to stay separate from each other for covid protocols. Although if they're testing all the time it shouldn't matter.
If it just a case of trying to turn the situation to out advantage then fair enough I'm sure others are doing similar