Ipswich physio suggests football may benefit from circuit breaker

Ipswich physio Matt Byard has said football "may benefit from a 'circuit breaker'" after the recent coronavirus outbreak at the club.

Positive tests at the Portman Road outfit – including for manager Paul Lambert – led to the postponement on Monday of their League One match at home to Northampton on Boxing Day and the trip to AFC Wimbledon on December 29.

The club have subsequently released a statement which said general manager of football operations Lee O'Neill was the latest to test positive for the virus, joining Lambert and five players.

Ipswich said physio Byard was anticipating there would be more positive tests in the squad this week, and that it was the new variant strain that had hit the club.

And Byard said: "Personally, with so many clubs affected by this presently and this new strain development, football may benefit from a 'circuit breaker' before a return to playing securely."