REPORT: Premier League to play on despite coronavirus threat

A league meeting was held from 1 p.m. on Monday to discuss the idea of a break, amid the growing number of games called off due to coronavirus.

Burnley's last two fixtures have been postponed due to their opponents' inability to raise a team.

Six of 10 Premier League games at the weekend were called off, and there ihad been speculation as to whether clubs would look to suspend the next round of games on Boxing Day, or the following fixtures, match day 20, as a "circuit-breaker".

However, there was not the sufficient majority of at least 14 clubs to force through any motion for a break, although FA Cup third and fourth round replays have been scrapped.

Last week, Brentford boss Thomas Frank called for a break over the weekend just gone, and for the forthcoming midweek Carabao Cup ties, but as Sean Dyche said on Thursday, that wouldn't necessarily solve the issue: "Thomas' opinion is valid in some ways, but then does that not happen next week?

"Is there a golden rule that if we call this week off, next week we'll all be clear?

"There isn't any golden rule to it.

"I get the idea of trying to break the pattern of it, and maybe re-cleanse your training grounds, which we've had to do many times, but that really is an ongoing thing.

"We've tried to make sure everything is clean and washed down throughout the pandemic.

"But I understand his point, to try and put a break in it, it's not easy though.

"Health and welfare is above everything, health and well-being, but we are waiting for the Premier League to report why the game was off, so that's all we can do, wait for the report and see what happens from there on in."

There remains a worry about stretched squads having an intense workload over the traditionally busy Festive period, but the league, so far, have only considered applications for postponements on a case-by-case basis.

That has caused much frustration, with Chelsea annoyed that their game on Sunday against Wolves was allowed to go ahead, while the Clarets have twice been having their pre-match meal when they have found out their last two games have been postponed.

The Clarets are now in a situation where they have up to as many as three games in hand on their rivals, as they look to climb out of the bottom three.