Health Secretary Matt Hancock speaks on prospect of season stopping for Portsmouth, Sunderland, Ipswich, Norwich, Derby, Forest and rest of EFL

Health secretary, Matt Hancock, today added his voice to the debate over the path forward for the game amid spiralling coronavirus levels.

Hancock spoke of the challenge being faced by the game’s decision makers over the balance between the positivity football brings in lifting spirits in difficult times and the safety of those involved.

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He indicated he will not personally get involved in the decision over whether to bring in a circuit breaker to combat rising Covid-19 levels in the game.

But he believes the Premier League and EFL will do what is right in the challenging circumstances.

Hancock told Sky News: ‘I think it’s fantastic we’ve been able to keep football going since the summer.

‘It’s so important and it’s absolutely a matter for the football authorities working with the culture secretary to get this right.

‘I’m not going to get involved in that discussion.

‘I know how seriously the football leagues take the need to keep people safe and how seriously they take the measures which are necessary.

‘I know they will be taking this decision very seriously as well.

‘I also know how great it is we’ve got football on the tele and we’re managing to do that behind closed doors even in the teeth of this pandemic.’

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