Arsenal's Europa League tie with PSV Eindhoven is POSTPONED

BREAKING NEWS: Arsenal vs PSV Eindhoven is POSTPONED due to ‘insufficient police personnel’ in London ahead of the Queen’s funeral… and Chelsea vs Liverpool could be next to be cancelled

  • Thursday night’s Europa League match at the Emirates Stadium postponed
  • UEFA has called off the game because of ‘severe limitations on police resources’
  • The Queen’s funeral takes place on Monday with various events beforehand
  • Other football fixtures to be staged in London over the weekend are at risk
  • Chelsea play Liverpool while Arsenal head to Brentford on Sunday afternoon 

Thursday night’s UEFA Europa League fixture between Arsenal and PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium has been postponed.

UEFA confirmed the game will be pushed back because of ‘severe limitations on police resources’ in London due to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. 

It raises the possibility that further top-level matches to be played in the capital over the weekend will also be called off for the same reason.

PSV said in their statement that no date for the rearranged game had yet been confirmed. 

A UEFA statement said: ‘UEFA today announced that the UEFA Europa League tie between Arsenal FC and PSV Eindhoven, originally to be played on Thursday 15 September, has been postponed with a new date to be communicated in due course.

‘This is due to the severe limitations on police resources and organisational issues related to the ongoing events surrounding the national mourning for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.’ 

The Queen’s funeral will be held on Monday but the weekend will see a number of other events as part of the nationwide 10 days of mourning.

Thursday night’s Europa League match between Arsenal and PSV Eindhoven has been postponed but to ‘insufficient police resources’ in London 

The Gunners beat FC Zurich in their opening Europa League group game last Thursday

Police officers are set to be drafted in from across the country for the Queen’s funeral

Police officers from forces across the country will be drafted in to support the Metropolitan Police with hundreds of thousands of people set to descend on London. 

Other Premier League games set to be staged in the city over the weekend include Chelsea vs Liverpool and Brentford vs Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, plus Tottenham vs Leicester City on Saturday evening.

All football matches in the United Kingdom were postponed over the weekend as a mark of respect following the 96-year-old monarch’s passing on Thursday.

The EFL announced its full programme of games set for Tuesday and Wednesday this week will go ahead as planned.

The Queen’s funeral, set for Monday, could lead to the postponement of more football games 

Likewise, Chelsea’s Champions League fixture against Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday will be played. 

But matches in London and elsewhere across the country over the weekend are at risk with police forces stretched. 

The high-risk Premier League game between Manchester United and Leeds United at Old Trafford on Sunday is one such fixture. 

Meetings involving clubs, the police and the football authorities are taking place on Monday to decide which games can go ahead and which will be postponed.  

PSV Eindhoven opened their Europa League group campaign with a 1-1 draw with Bodo/Glimt

There will be serious concerns over when any postponed games can be rescheduled for amid an already packed calendar because of November’s World Cup in Qatar.

All six group matches in the three European competitions are being squeezed into two months ahead of the start of the tournament.

There are no free midweek or weekend slots to rearrange the games already postponed before the tournament. 

WHICH FOOTBALL FIXTURES COULD BE AFFECTED THIS WEEK? 

Football on a wide scale is set to recommence on Tuesday following the postponement of last weekend’s fixtures, but policing concerns mean games will be assessed on a match-by-match basis.

The strain on police resources is the biggest obstacle to Premier League games taking place as planned next weekend, as up to 10,000 police officers will be deployed in London to manage what has been described as an unprecedented security operation in the capital ahead of the Queen’s funeral. 

Here is how things stand at the moment and which fixtures are most likely to be affected:

Tuesday

Liverpool are due to host Ajax in the Champions League. As it stands, this game is still on. 

In the same group, Rangers’ tie with Napoli has been put back a day to Wednesday. This was due to ‘severe limitations on police resources and organisational issues’. Away fans have also been banned.

The EFL announced on Monday that their fixture programme will return as scheduled from Tuesday.

Wednesday

Chelsea’s clash with Red Bull Salzburg is to go ahead as planned.

Manchester City are also in Champions League action – against Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad. 

Celtic are playing Shakhtar Donetsk, but this game is away from home so is unlikely to be affected. 

The EFL announced on Monday that their fixture programme will return as scheduled from Tuesday. 

Thursday

Arsenal’s Europa League clash with PSV Eindhoven has been postponed.

Manchester United have confirmed on their official website that their trip to FC Sheriff will go ahead as planned.

West Ham are due to play Swedish side Silkeborg away, Hearts will travel to RFS and Shamrock Rovers go to Gent in the Europa Conference League. There appears to be no reason why these games won’t go ahead. 

Friday

The Premier League is due to resume on Friday night, when Aston Villa host Southampton and Fulham travel to Nottingham Forest.

Villa vs Southampton is due to be broadcast on Sky Sports but, as Sportsmail reported on Monday morning, the broadcaster is running out of the outside broadcast trucks required to deliver live coverage as many are being used by their sister channel, Sky News. 

Women’s Super League, National League and grassroots games should be able to take place as planned. 

Saturday 

In London, Tottenham take on Leicester on Saturday evening but this again depends on policing levels and the availability of Sky’s TV trucks.

Wolves are due to host Manchester City at 12:30pm and Newcastle welcome Bournemouth in the only 3pm game.

Brighton vs Crystal Palace was already postponed because of the scheduled train strike, which has now been cancelled. However there is no indication that the match will take place. 

The EFL announced on Monday that their fixture programme will return as scheduled from Tuesday. 

Women’s Super League, National League and grassroots games should be able to take place as planned. 

Scottish football leagues will also resume with the caveat that any fixtures under the professional banner be rescheduled if they fall on Monday September 19, the day of the Queen’s funeral. 

Sunday

Brentford play Arsenal and Chelsea are at home to Liverpool on Sunday.

With both matches in London, this again depends on policing levels in the capital just a day before the Queen’s funeral. It also again depends on the availability of Sky’s TV trucks.

Sportsmail understands that the football’s authorities are struggling to get a green light for Chelsea vs Liverpool. 

There are also major doubts over whether Leeds’ trip to Manchester United will take place next Sunday as a large police presence will be required at Old Trafford.

Everton are also scheduled to host West Ham at Goodison Park. 

Women’s Super League, National League and grassroots games should be able to take place as planned. 

Scottish football leagues will also resume with the caveat that any fixtures under the professional banner be rescheduled if they fall on Monday September 19, the day of the Queen’s funeral. 


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