Leeds v Aston Villa postponed because of Covid-19 cases at Yorkshire club

Leeds' last Premier League fixture was a 4-1 defeat by Arsenal on 18 December

Leeds United's Premier League game against Aston Villa on Tuesday has been postponed because of Covid-19 cases at the Yorkshire club.

Leeds' game at Liverpool on 26 December had already been called off.

A club statement said there had been no new Covid cases but the majority of those who had already tested positive were still isolating so there were not enough "recognised first-team players".

In total, 14 games in England's top flight have been postponed in December.

Premier League clubs decided on Monday to not make any changes to the festive schedule despite the most recent round of testing of players and staff revealing a record 90 positive tests.

At the meeting, clubs were advised that if they have 13 fit players, plus a goalkeeper, they should fulfil their games. Leeds say they cannot meet these requirements.

A Premier League statement confirmed: "The board accepted the postponement application as the club does not have the required number of players available for the match."

Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard was due to miss the game because he too is isolating with Covid-19.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Wolves v Watford and Burnley v Everton have been postponed because of the virus, while Crystal Palace will play without boss Patrick Vieira at Tottenham because of his positive coronavirus test.

The Premier League statement continued: "The league is aware that the decisions this week to postpone matches will disappoint supporters, and understands their frustrations at a special time of year when fans look forward to attending and watching football games.

"The league aims to provide as much clarity as possible, but unfortunately postponements sometimes have to be made at short notice, as safety is our priority. Where possible, the league will endeavour to keep supporters updated if matches become at risk on a matchday.

"While recognising a number of clubs are experiencing Covid-19 outbreaks, it is the clubs' and the league's collective intention to continue the current fixture schedule where safely possible."