Tottenham Hotspur's clash with Leyton Orient in the third round of the Carabao Cup has been called off after a number of players from the League Two club tested positive for the coronavirus.
Leyton Orient were due to welcome Spurs to the Breyer Group Stadium on Tuesday evening, but after a number of the League Two side's players tested positive for COVID-19, the tie was thrown into doubt.
Club statement: Covid-19
— Leyton Orient (@leytonorientfc) September 21, 2020
We have received formal confirmation that a number of our first-team squad have tested positive for COVID-19.
Read more: https://t.co/3lhR7C8vRU
Since the initial reports, it has appeared increasingly likely that the game could not feasibly go ahead. Now Sky Sports report that the match has indeed been called off.
According to EFL rules, Orient's inability to fulfil the fixture means the north London club will be given a free pass to the next round - even in the unusual circumstances.
Considering Spurs' packed fixture schedule already, it would have been challenging in the extreme to find a suitable date for the fixture to be played before the fourth round matches are held anyway.
After Orient's 2-2 draw with Mansfield on Saturday, Tottenham opted to pay for their opponents' first-team squad to be tested for COVID-19. While the club haven't specified how many players have returned positive results, it is understood that the figure stands above ten. While Orient could well miss out on the chance to progress to the next round, it is the players' health and safety which are the main priorities.
Should Tottenham be given a bye to the next round, they will take on either Chelsea or Barnsley. The fourth-round fixtures are set to begin on the week commencing 28 September. Before then, however, Jose Mourinho's men travel to take on Shkendija in the Europa League on Thursday before then hosting Newcastle on Sunday.
After a disappointing defeat to Everton on the opening weekend of the 2020/21 Premier League season, they bounced back to secure a late win over Lokomotiv Plovdiv in the Europa League second qualifying round before producing a convincing win over Southampton. Son netted four times as Spurs ran out 5-2 winners.
Source : 90min