Three Premier League matches scheduled for this weekend have been postponed ahead of Queen Elizabeth's funeral, the Premier League announced on Monday.
Chelsea's home game against Liverpool and Manchester United's clash against Leeds United at Old Trafford on Sunday have been postponed. Also, Brighton & Hove Albion's match against Crystal Palace on Saturday will also remain postponed.
The Brighton game was originally called off due to planned industrial action on the rail network, which has now been stopped following the Queen's death.
Matches in England are being affected with police resources in London stretched after the Queen's death last week. A huge police operation is required with the Queen to lie in state between Wednesday and her funeral on Monday, September 19.
“Following extensive consultation with clubs, police, local safety advisory groups and other relevant authorities, there was no other option but to postpone the three fixtures,” the Premier League said in a statement.
“The Premier League would like to thank the UK Football Policing Unit and other police forces across the country, as well as our broadcast partners, for their support during this process, and will continue to liaise with them ahead of the weekend.
“For the matches being played during the period of mourning, tributes will be paid to the Queen. New dates for the postponed matches will be announced in due course.”
The kick-off times for two of Sunday's games have also been altered, Brentford v Arsenal now starting at 12 noon local time (3pm UAE) rather than 2pm and Everton v West Ham starting at 5.15pm UAE time.
Earlier, England's Football Association (FA) and the English Football League (EFL) said matches will resume as scheduled from Tuesday after the last round of fixtures were postponed following the Queen's death.
“After a period of pause and reflection for our national game, we can confirm that fixtures will resume as scheduled,” the FA said on Monday.
That includes matches from the women's Super League and women's Championship, FA Cup second round qualifying, women's FA Cup, the lower tiers of the English football pyramid as well as all matches across grass roots football.
However, FA Trophy and FA Youth Cup matches will return later on Monday. The FA also said that all scheduled matches will be postponed next Monday, the day of the queen's funeral.
The FA also confirmed that a scheduled media conference with England manager Gareth Southgate on Thursday to announce his squad for the forthcoming Nations League matches against Italy and Germany had been cancelled out of respect for the period of national mourning. The squad will still be announced as planned at 2pm that day.
The news came after it was announced that Arsenal's Europa League clash with PSV Eindhoven on Thursday had been postponed due to a lack of police resources.
The Gunners face a fixture pile-up in a campaign already set to be interrupted by a first ever winter World Cup.
Outside the upcoming international break, Mikel Arteta's men are due to play every midweek before the World Cup break begins on November 13.
