All football across the UK has been postponed this weekend following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and many within the game have been impacted
All football matches in the UK were postponed this weekend as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sporting authorities were given the option to make a decision whether to play on, and the Football Association, the Premier League and English Football League confirmed on Friday that all matches will be off.
While many questioned the wisdom of the decision, there is no doubt that it will have a knock-on effect for many clubs players and coaches.
Irrespective of the circumstances, there will be some who could gain an advantage from a weekend break, but for others it will be an unfortunate interruption.
GOAL takes a look at those that will have been most affected by the shutdown and why…
(C)Getty imagesGraham Potter
Officially confirmed as the new Chelsea boss on Thursday, Potter was surely eager to get up and running in his new job with a London derby against Fulham.
An extra few days on the training pitch, however, will likely help him settle into his new role, get to know his new squad and introduce some fresh ideas into a side that has lost three of their last five games.
Potter will now start his reign against Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League, in a game that Chelsea need to win after surprisingly losing their opener to Dinamo Zagreb.
Depending on whether next weekend’s fixtures go ahead, his first Premier League match could also now be at Stamford Bridge and a huge clash with Liverpool, so extra preparations for a key double-header will be beneficial.
AdvertisementGettyArsenal
While a pause could help reset Chelsea’s stuttering form, the opposite is the case for Arsenal, who have made a brilliant start to the season.
Last weekend’s defeat to Manchester United was a setback, but there were still plenty of positives in the way that Mikel Arteta’s side played at Old Trafford, and the early-season leaders will have been desperate to get back to Premier League action to put it right.
It would have been a good time to play Sunday's scheduled visitors Everton, too, with the Toffees not having won all season and were likely to have several key players missing, including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
And with closest rivals Manchester City and Tottenham facing-off at the Etihad Stadium, it would have been a good opportunity to extend their lead over one or both.
GettyJurgen Klopp
With an injury crisis and defensive issues, a weekend off might help Liverpool after a crazy start to the season.
Liverpool's injury list is one of the longest in the Premier League, but Klopp at least welcomed Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota back to his matchday squad in recent days and can give them extra time to be fully fit to start matches soon.
More pressing is a backline that shipped four goals against Napoli, with the reliable Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez in worrying form.
Klopp questioned his players’ “attitudes” on the opening day of the season and may use this unexpected time off to help spark a revival.
Getty ImagesBrighton
With Potter's departure coming late in the week, it might come as a relief that Brighton have extra time to find a replacement.
An interim management team that included experienced midfielder Adam Lallana were set to take charge for the trip to Bournemouth, but after a remarkable start that has seen them move up to fourth in the Premier League, it would be a frustration to be undercooked for a game that they would hope to take three points from.
Next weekend's game against Crystal Palace has already been postponed because of a rail strike, meaning that the Seagulls have until after the international break to make an appointment before their next game.