Four more Premier League matches off due to COVID-19 amid calls to pause

As ESPN's Mark Ogden explained earlier on Thursday, a total of five Premier League fixtures across less than one full week had already been postponed because of COVID-19 cases surging through clubs and much of Europe. 

The league's situation only worsened later in the day.

Thursday afternoon, the Premier League confirmed four more matches set for this weekend are postponed. Manchester United versus Brighton & Hove Albion set for Saturday had already been called off, and three other games scheduled for that same day -- Southampton-Brentford, Watford-Crystal Palace, and West Ham United-Norwich City -- also won't take place as planned. 

Additionally, Sunday's tilt between Everton and Leicester City is scrapped. 

In its statement, the league announced that Brentford, Watford, and Leicester City are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks. Norwich City can't play because they "have an insufficient number of players available to fulfill their match due to COVID-19, injuries and other illnesses." 

It was reported earlier in the day that "an increasing number of clubs are pushing" to pause the season through early January because of coronavirus outbreaks linked to the Omicron variant, but also that the league plans "to continue its current fixture schedule where safely possible." 

In Thursday's update, the EPL said it "understands fans will be disappointed these matches have had to be postponed and apologises for the inconvenience and disruption caused." 

However, the league added that "all other fixtures due to be played this weekend are currently scheduled to proceed as planned."