THE Premier League uses a firm called Prenetics for Covid testing.
And it has a pretty good record for being efficient with very few false positives recorded.
Liverpool outsourced Covid testing to a new firm before numerous false positives postponed their Arsenal gameCredit: PA
While the majority of clubs use Prenetics, the Premier League allows different companies to deliver the testing.
SunSport can reveal that Liverpool outsourced their testing to a local company ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final with Arsenal, which was postponed due to a large number of false positives.
The number of false positives – which included Jurgen Klopp and his assistant Pep Lijnders – ran into double figures.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was the only player who was found to have actually contracted Covid.
Liverpool will not be investigated by the EFL despite other clubs being unhappy over the situation. And although the club will argue it was not their fault, it is not a situation which has reflected well on Liverpool.
Maybe now, they will look to switch firms and use Prenetics like the other clubs.
LOAN RANGER
ARSENAL delivered a slightly odd decision by cutting short the loan of defender Harry Clarke in the Scottish Premiership – before sending him back to a team in the same League.
Clarke has been one of the few Arsenal loan players who has done well this season, impressing for Ross County in his 17 appearances.
That fine form even resulted in Glasgow Rangers trying to sign him on a permanent basis.
But Arsenal ended his loan spell at Ross County and rather than maybe giving him a run-out in the Championship, sent Clarke back to the Premiership to play for Hibs.
Maybe Arsenal had their reasons but to loan a player to two clubs in the same League – in the same season – is extremely unusual.
REF BUSINESS
REFS and their assistants in the Premier League need a pat on the back for ensuring football matches go ahead without any major Covid issues.
Despite all the issues at clubs, since the start of the coronavirus crisis, there have only been a handful of positive tests which required last-minute switches of officials.
And that is some effort when there are 22 Select Group 1 referees and 28 assistant referees.
The Premier League can also call on 18 full-time Select Group 2 referees who take charge of EFL games but also sometimes act as fourth officials in the Premier League.
Apart from testing regularly, the referees have been urged to be extra careful as they go about their daily lives.
The Premier League also, where possible, have cut down on the number of referees staying in hotels ahead of games.
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