Izuchukwu OkosiContrary to an earlier discussion held on Monday morning regarding four Premier league matches expected to hold this weekend, announcement from the Premier League on Monday indicates that seven matches will actually go on.
The Premier League matches for last weekend were postponed following the demise of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday with Manchester United versus Leeds United clash tipped to be one of four fixtures to be played this weekend.
However in another twist, the Premier League body have disclosed on its official website Monday evening that the fixture involving Manchester United and Leeds will be postponed along with the Chelsea versus Liverpool game.
Also postponed is the Brighton & Hove Albion’s fixture against Crystal Palace which was originally expected to be off on Saturday evening due to train strike.
“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 wrote on their website.
“The Premier mkweLeague would like to thank the UK 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,” a statement from the league organizing body concluded.
This weekend’s match schedule is:
Friday 16 September
20:00 Aston Villa v Southampton (Sky Sports)
20:00 Nott’m Forest v Fulham
Saturday 17 September
12:30 Wolves v Man City (BT Sport)
15:00 Newcastle v AFC Bournemouth
17:30 Spurs v Leicester City (Sky Sports)
Postponed Brighton v Crystal Palace
Sunday 18 September
12:00 Brentford v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
14:15 Everton v West Ham (Sky Sports)
Postponed Chelsea v Liverpool
Postponed Man Utd v Leeds
(All times BST)
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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