Lampard calls for level playing pitch when it comes to fans at games

Frank Lampard has said Premier League clubs should not have to stop allowing fans into stadiums if their regions are placed under tougher Covid-19 restrictions after it was confirmed London will move from tier 2 to tier 3 on Wednesday.

London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will enter tier 3 at 00.01 on Wednesday, meaning Arsenal, Fulham and West Ham will no longer be able to welcome fans for their fixtures against Southampton, Brighton and Crystal Palace respectively.

An Arsenal statement said: “We are disappointed to confirm that we are no longer able to welcome fans to Emirates Stadium for our Premier League fixture against Southampton on Wednesday, December 16th.”

Although Chelsea were allowed to welcome 2,000 supporters into Stamford Bridge for games against Leeds and Krasnodar this month, they will also return to playing behind closed doors. That means Chelsea will be playing in an empty stadium when they host West Ham next week.

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However Lampard, who said it will be hard for players to revert to playing without crowds, feels that clubs have shown they can create a secure environment for the public. Chelsea’s manager expressed frustration with the tier system and argued that teams in tier 3 are at a disadvantage to those in tier 2.

“I’m slightly disappointed,” Lampard said. “Even though we’ve been in tier 2 and had fans in for a couple of games, I did feel that it should have been a level playing field with fans if some clubs can have them and some can’t.

“We’ve seen it already and felt it, the backing that they give you and what it does to the game and I think that should be pretty level. I also think we can control 2,000 fans coming into a stadium if they are coming from within a tier or whatever to keep things moving along. So it’s unfortunate to say the least.

“Let’s get it right, we are making it up as we go along because we’ve never been in this position before. And I think when you are talking about if clubs can control the situation, then I think that they’ve shown so far that they can. I would like to have thought that something could be done to make it exempt where we can get that 2,000 number in. But that goes above my station, I’m just saying what I think.”

Chelsea will look to bounce back from their defeat against Everton on Saturday when they visit Wolves on Tuesday. They could be boosted by the return of Christian Pulisic, who is in the squad after shaking off a hamstring problem.

– Guardian