Newcastle United's Premier League game with Aston Villa on Friday is under threat owing to an outbreak of coronavirus cases in the squad.
The Magpies have closed their training ground and it is not expected to re-open until Wednesday at the earliest, The Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Manager Steve Bruce had already cancelled training on Sunday after four players and a member of the backroom staff tested positive for the virus last week.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the club learnt that more players tested positive when the latest batch of results were returned on Monday. The whole first-team squad and staff have been told to self-isolate at home.
Bruce was already without five first team players for last Friday's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. Another round of testing is due to take place on Wednesday.
Newcastle players such as Allan Saint-Maximin, Andy Carroll, Jamaal Lascelles, Ryan Fraser and Isaac Hayden did not play at Palace but the club has not confirmed if they were injured or self-isolating after testing positive.
Speaking after the match in London, Bruce said: "It is a concern and difficult to manage. We are trying our utmost to make sure we try and stay as safe as we can.
"Of course my concern is not just the welfare of the players, which is vitally important, but my members of staff too. We will do our best but it is difficult at the moment."
No Premier League match has been called off since football resumed following the March lockdown. Premier League authorities have previously said for a game to be postponed it would require 14 players to be affected.
However, if the team is able to field 11 players plus three substitutes the game should go ahead.
The fixture schedule is already a hectic one with many managers blaming a higher-than-usual rate of injuries on the quick turn around between matches.
According to the Telegraph, the possibility of the players turning up solely for training on Wednesday without entering the buildings is being considered.
The city of Newcastle itself will enter the tier three restriction band on Wednesday when the latest lockdown ends – the highest allocated by the UK government.
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