By Victor Kanayo
Arsenal’s Europa League tie with PSV Eindhoven has been postponed because of “severe limitations on police resources” following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The match was due to take place at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
UEFA confirmed the game will be pushed back because of ‘severe limitations on police resources’ in London due to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
It raises the possibility that further top-level matches to be played in the capital over the weekend will also be called off for the same reason.
A UEFA statement said: “UEFA today announced that the UEFA Europa League tie between Arsenal FC and PSV Eindhoven, originally to be played on Thursday 15 September, has been postponed with a new date to be communicated in due course.
“This is due to the severe limitations on police resources and organisational issues related to the ongoing events surrounding the national mourning for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
The Queen’s funeral will be held on Monday, but the weekend will see a number of other events as part of the nationwide 10 days of mourning.
Police officers from forces across the country will be drafted in to support the Metropolitan Police with hundreds of thousands of people set to descend on London for the historic events.
Other Premier League games set to be staged in the city over the weekend include Chelsea vs Liverpool and Brentford vs Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, plus Tottenham vs Leicester City on Saturday evening.
All football matches in the United Kingdom were postponed over the weekend just passed as a mark of respect following the 96-year-old monarch’s passing on Thursday.
The EFL announced its full programme of games set for Tuesday and Wednesday this week will go ahead as planned.
Likewise, Chelsea’s Champions League fixture against Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday will be played.
But matches in London and elsewhere across the country over the weekend are at risk with police forces stretched.
The high-risk Premier League game between Manchester United and Leeds United at Old Trafford on Sunday is one such fixture.
Meetings involving clubs, the police and the football authorities are taking place on Monday to decide which games can go ahead and which will be postponed.
