Wolverhampton Wanderers have banned their players from doing their own food shopping in an effort to protect them from getting the coronavirus.
Large parts of England are in lockdown as cases have risen across the country in December. Liverpool and Everton are the only Premier League clubs allowed fans into games as part of the new restrictions.
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Newcastle United recently saw a fixture against Aston Villa postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak at the club and Wolves have taken their own measures to safeguard their players
“It is about protecting ourselves,” Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo said.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, our staff in the kitchen put together a big box of the basic things that we need and during the high moment of the pandemic, everybody had it.
“As it started to improve, we said: ‘OK, now you are free to go and do your own shopping.’ But now the levels are increasing and there is the new variation that everybody is worried about, we started to do it again. So the players and their families are not going to the supermarkets.
“It is about protecting ourselves. There are so many people to take care of us.”
Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus and defender Kyle Walker tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League club said on Friday.
Two other City staff members have also tested positive and all four are self-isolating.
“Everyone at the club wishes our colleagues a speedy recovery over the Christmas period ahead of their return to work, training and competition,” City said in a statement.