LONDON: Liverpool’s visit to Chelsea and Manchester United’s clash with Leeds on Sunday have been postponed due to policing pressures ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the Premier League announced on Monday.

Seven Premier League games will go ahead this weekend, with Brighton & Hove Albion’s match against Crystal Palace having previously been postponed due to a planned rail strike.

Despite the strike since being cancelled, the match remains off.

Arsenal’s trip to Brentford on Sunday has also been moved forward two hours to a midday kick-off.

“Following extensive consultation with clubs, police, local Safety Advisory Groups and other relevant authorities, there was no other option but to postpone the three fixtures,” the Premier League said in a statement.

“The Premier League would like to thank the UK Football Policing Unit and other police forces across the country, as well as our broadcast partners, for their support during this process, and will continue to liaise with them ahead of the weekend.

“For the matches being played during the period of national mourning, tributes will be paid to The Queen at Premier League stadiums.”

United said their match was postponed because the Greater Manchester Police are “supporting forces across the United Kingdom at locations and events of high significance” after the queen’s death.

New dates for the rearranged fixtures will be announced in due course, the league added.

Earlier, England’s Football Association (FA) and the English Football League (EFL) said matches will resume as scheduled from Tuesday after the last round of fixtures were postponed following the queen’s death last week.

“After a period of pause and reflection for our national game, we can confirm that fixtures will resume as scheduled,” the FA said on Monday.

Arsenal’s Europa League clash with PSV Eindhoven on Thursday has also been called off due to the huge police operation required in London this week, with the Queen to lie in state between Wednesday and her funeral on September 19.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2022