It wasn’t the best of days for those Premier League managers who have spent the last week insisting that their Covid-depleted squads should not be put through football matches.
They were not only told to play on through Christmas but archly reminded about the presence in their ranks of those Under 21 players which some clubs seem to stockpile just to keep them out of rivals’ hands.
‘If they’re on your books and have first-team experience, then field them instead.’ That was the message that has come from the league’s emergency meeting of clubs.