Chelsea's Premier League clash with Liverpool and Manchester United's home game against Leeds next Sunday have been postponed due to policing issues surrounding the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, but seven other Premier League fixtures will go ahead this weekend.

All football in the United Kingdom was postponed last weekend as a mark of respect to the queen following her death at the age of 96 on Thursday.

But following discussions between the football governing bodies and the authorities in the U.K., all scheduled midweek games will go ahead as planned this week, with the exception of Arsenal's Europa League tie against PSV Eindhoven on Thursday. That game has been postponed by UEFA due to police in London being required to focus on the huge crowds expected to travel to the capital ahead of next Monday's State Funeral.

But while the majority of Premier League games are to go ahead, the high-profile fixtures at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford have been postponed as a consequence of police officers being redeployed to provide security for the queen's funeral, with authorities anticipating over a million people arriving in London during the 48 hours before the funeral on Monday morning.

Brighton vs. Crystal Palace, which had recently been postponed due to a planned, but now cancelled, rail strike will also not go ahead.

A Premier League statement read: "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 would like to thank the U.K. 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. New dates for the postponed matches will be announced in due course."

Source:
courtesy of ESPN

by Mark Ogden

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