Man Utd-Stoke Friendly Cancelled After Michael O'Neill Tests Positive for COVID-19

Manchester United were forced to cancel their friendly with Stoke City at the last minute, after one of the Potters' players tested positive for coronavirus.


The two teams were set to play at the AON training complex, but scrapped the game as Stoke received their test results shortly before the scheduled kick-off.


United and Stoke looked set to play a friendly in order to regain fitness

The player who tested positive for the virus remains unidentified, but it has been confirmed by the Telegraph that his test came back as positive just before the match and he will now have to self-isolate for 14 days, missing Stoke's Championship return match against Reading.


In a bid to gain match fitness amid the return of English football this month, Premier League and Championship clubs have been organising warm-up matches behind closed doors to get up to speed.


United played a warm-up match at an empty Old Trafford on Saturday, with the squad splitting into teams and taking to the pitch.


United played at Old Trafford in a training game for the first time since early March

Stoke's players and staff had to individually drive up to United's training ground for the friendly, as per social distancing guidelines, before all having to leave again at around midday after the game was called off.


United, not wanting to waste the day, subsequently split into teams again and played another warm-up match amongst themselves as Stoke left the training ground, with a number of players once again posting images from training on social media.


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Winning team ?? @brunofernandes.10 have a nice day ?

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Stoke's positive test is the third case to be confirmed from over 1,179 Championship players and club staff who were tested.


United head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will hope his side remains unaffected as they count down their return to action. They boast a fully fit squad including the likes of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Eric Bailly as they prepare to visit Tottenham on 19 June in their first competitive game since March.



Source : 90min