Man Utd Hit By Covid-19 Outbreak Hours To Newcastle Clash

By Oyinlola Awonuga-Balogun  (The New Diplomat’s Entertainment, Fashion and Sports Desk)

Manchester United have been hit by a coronavirus just hours before their Premier League clash with Newcastle at Old Trafford.

Nicky Butt and Mark Dempsey will join Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the Man United bench for the game with some other members of the coaching staff in self-isolation, the club have announced.

Butt, a long-time team-mate of Solskjaer’s at Old Trafford during their playing days, is the club’s head of development.

Former Man United player, Dempsey returned to the club in 2018 as part of Solskjaer’s staff, having previously worked with the Norwegian at Molde, and is now primarily working with the academy set-up.

The individuals in self-isolation are not being identified.

It is understood there are no concerns that any players will need to isolate and tonight’s fixture, scheduled to kick off at 7pm at Old Trafford, will go ahead.

Solskjaer’s side are second in the standings, 10 points behind big rivals Manchester City who play Arsenal later on Sunday at the Emirates.

The Red Devils will go into today’s tie on the back of the 4-0 thrashing of Real Sociedad in Spain.