Report: Premier League clubs want shutdown through early January

The English Premier League announced this past Monday that it recorded a total of 42 positive COVID-19 results among players and staff in its latest round of testing, and ESPN's Mark Ogden notes that a minimum of five league fixtures have been postponed this week due to coronavirus-related issues. Tottenham Hotspur had three straight games scrapped because of COVID-19 setbacks impacting them and, most recently, opponents Leicester City. 

It appears some teams have seen enough. 

Rob Dawson of ESPN reports "an increasing number of clubs are pushing" for the Premier League to pause the season immediately through the first full weekend of January, with the plan to be to resume play the weekend of Jan. 14. Currently, FA Cup fixtures are scheduled for the previous weekend. 

"We think we should postpone the full round of Premier League games this weekend," Brentford manager Thomas Frank said Thursday morning. "COVID cases are going through the roof at all Premier League clubs; everyone is dealing with it and having problems.

"To postpone this round and also the Carabao Cup round would give everyone a week at least, or four or five days to clean and do everything at the training ground so everything is clean and you break the chain."

As shared by Sky Sports, the Premier League said earlier in the day it intends "to continue its current fixture schedule where safely possible."