Steven Gerrard has indicated he would back an extension to the Premier League season as he expressed fears Covid-19 will wreak more havoc on the fixture list this winter.

The Aston Villa boss missed his team’s 3-1 home defeat by Chelsea last Saturday as he was isolating after contracting the virus for the second time, but he took training on Friday and expects to be in the dugout at Brentford.

There were 16 top-flight matches postponed in December and Leicester’s home game with Norwich, scheduled for Sunday, will be rearranged due to positive Covid cases and injuries in the Canaries’ squad.

Steven Gerrard has indicated he would back an extension to the Premier League season

Steven Gerrard has indicated he would back an extension to the Premier League season

Steven Gerrard has indicated he would back an extension to the Premier League season

‘You want the competition to be as strong and fair as you can all the way to the end,’ said Gerrard, who have had two games postponed, against Burnley and Leeds. ‘I hope this Covid situation doesn’t snowball and get any worse.

‘It’s important we continue to try to get as many games done as we can and people are doing everything they can to get the games played.

‘I will support whatever it takes to get the games done, and get the games finished in the best competitive way. If that means extending the season, and the powers that be suggest it, I’ll back it.’

With the World Cup taking place next winter, there is little room in the calendar for a break but the integrity of the Premier League is likely to be called into question if postponements continue at the current rate.

The Aston Villa boss missed his team's 3-1 defeat by Chelsea last Saturday as he was isolating

The Aston Villa boss missed his team's 3-1 defeat by Chelsea last Saturday as he was isolating

The Aston Villa boss missed his team’s 3-1 defeat by Chelsea last Saturday as he was isolating

Burnley’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester United on Thursday was their first game since December 12, and before the match at Old Trafford they had four games in hand on a number of teams.

Like many of his fellow bosses, Gerrard would like to be able to use five substitutes rather than three to ease the load on his players.

He added: ‘I think it makes total sense. The main thing on the agenda at the moment is player welfare, and one of the quick solutions would be to introduce five subs rather than three.

‘From a selfish point of view, it means you can satisfy more players, who the club are paying very well.’ 

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