PL 2021: Everton's COVID-19 cases, injuries force officials to postpone Boxing Day game against Burnley

File image (Source: Twitter)

Everton's Boxing Day match at Burnley has been postponed due to Covid-19 cases and injuries in the club, the Premier League announced on Friday. Everton had made an initial request to postpone the game however, it was rejected despite head coach Rafael Benitez claiming he only had nine fit players for the match.

Everton on Friday confirmed the development, saying, "Our Premier League fixture at Burnley on Boxing Day has been postponed due to the number of Covid-19 cases and injuries in our squad."

The Premier League said that it has taken the "regrettable" decision to postpone the game following a meeting of its Board on Friday.

Everton’s request to postpone their Boxing Day away fixture at Burnley has been approved following a Premier League Board meeting this morning

More details: https://t.co/oNHwf360qZ#BUREVE pic.twitter.com/Laf0S4Ay0g — Premier League (@premierleague) December 24, 2021

"The Board reviewed the club's request today to postpone the match following further injuries to their squad," Premier League said in a statement.

"The club will not be able to fulfil their fixture this weekend as a result of an insufficient number of players available to play due to Covid-19 cases and injuries."

Benitez said on Thursday that he was "surprised" the game had been expected to go ahead, after two matches -- Liverpool v Leeds and Wolves v Watford -- were postponed due to Covid cases.

Our Premier League fixture at Burnley on Boxing Day has been postponed due to the number of COVID cases and injuries in our squad. pic.twitter.com/KOTVIOhuPz — Everton (@Everton) December 24, 2021

Liverpool's clash with Leeds and Watford's trip to Wolves, also scheduled for Sunday, had already been postponed due to coronavirus outbreak.

A total of 13 matches have now been called off in the past two weeks as Britain battles record numbers of positive Covid cases due to the Omicron variant of the virus.