25th December, 2021
Aston Villa have confirmed that their head coach Steven Gerrard has contracted COVID-19 and is isolating.
The club said in a statement: “Aston Villa can confirm head coach Steven Gerrard will be unable to attend our next two Premier League matches with Chelsea and Leeds United as he will be isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.”
Villa’s meeting with Burnley last weekend was postponed due to an increased number of positive coronavirus tests among the squad.
The match against Chelsea at Villa Park is one of six Premier League games still scheduled to go ahead on Boxing Day.
One of the three games that have been postponed is Leeds’ trip to Liverpool, because of a Covid outbreak at the Yorkshire club on top of their injury problems.
It is unclear if Villa’s match at Elland Road on December 28 will go ahead.