OFFICIAL: Man United Game Against Brighton POSTPONED.

Manchester United's Premier League match against Brighton on Saturday has been postponed by the Premier League board amid mounting Covid-19 cases.

This would be the second game in one week to be cancelled for the Red Devils after their Premier League trip to Brentford on Tuesday was called off at late notice.

United boss Ralf Rangnick had just nine first-team players available for Tuesday's game at Brentford.

According to reports, the club continues to have an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak within their squad, which has left them unable to field a team for the match at Old Trafford this weekend.

A Premier League statement reads; "It is with regret that this is the fourth Premier League fixture to have been postponed in the past week... 

"While recognising a number of clubs are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks, it is the League’s intention to continue its current fixture schedule where safely possible. The health and wellbeing of all concerned remains our priority."

United were forced to close their Carrington training base after last weekend's 1-0 win away to Norwich. 

With the game against Brighton now been called off, the next time the club would expectedly return to football action would be against Newcastle at the St. James Park' on Monday, December 27.

Sources claim that the Omicron variant has led to a large increase of cases in the UK, with 78,610 people testing positive on Wednesday which is the highest daily record since the pandemic began. 

"The health of players and staff is our priority... Manchester United said in a statement released via the club's website.

"Given the number of players and support staff having to isolate due to COVID-19, the club had no option other than to request the match be rearranged. The Premier League Board took the decision to postpone based on guidance from medical advisors.

"We will also suspend football training operations at the Carrington Training Complex for a short period to help reduce risk of further transmission.

"We regret any disappointment and inconvenience caused to fans by the postponement."

The postponement of United's game against Brighton comes hours after Brentford nanager Thomas Frank called on the Premier League to suspend this weekend's round of fixtures, along with the midweek Caraboa Cup quarter-final games so that clubs can be able to contain the Covid-19 outbreaks.

Watford's game away to Burnley and Leicester's home match against Tottenham are the other Premier League games to have been Postponed so far this week.

The fixtures will be rescheduled in due course.

While the Premier League wish for the campaign to continue, there is a growing belief among club medics that an enforced break is looking increasingly likely, as a number of clubs are keen on the idea of stopping play until January 8 next year.