New week, new start – that's the plan for Norwich City after an unexpected rest weekend ahead of crunch Covid-19 talks with the Premier League.

The Canaries’ trip to West Ham was one of six top-flight games postponed at the weekend and Chelsea released a statement on Sunday to say they were “deeply disappointed” that their request to call off their trip to Wolves was turned down.

It’s hoped that clarity around the surge of the Omicron variant will be provided on Monday as senior representatives from the 20 clubs meet with the Premier League, with rearrangement dates to also be discussed. Managers and captains are due to hold separate meetings as well.

The EFL also had 19 matches postponed across the weekend amid reports that the government are close to reintroducing social restrictions amid a huge spike in Covid-19 cases nationwide.

For City boss Dean Smith, the focus is on preparing for the visit of Arsenal on Boxing Day, who were able to consolidate fourth place on Saturday evening as a 4-1 success at Leeds earned a third win on the spin.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta reaffirmed the need for clarity afterwards, saying: "They have to come forward and explain what we are to expect from them.

"If everyone is healthy and authorities think we have to carry on, we will.

"We follow the guidance. If they say play as you can, we will play as we can. We want to all play under the same rules and all under the same way.

"Whatever they decide is better for the fairness of the competition."

City emphasised their commitment to the vaccination programme as players including Sam Byram, Kieran Dowell, Adam Idah and Andrew Omobamidele were pictured receiving their booster jab at Norwich Community Hospital on Friday.

Head of first team operations, Jonny Martin, explained: "We're in a very good place as a club, we've got 50pc after today who have had their three doses and we're over 90pc for our second so I think it's very important.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been among the outspoken advocates of the vaccine in recent days, urging people to follow expert advice and to “ignore lies and misinformation”, with Canaries head coach Smith having already revealed he had received his booster.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has written to clubs to “strongly encourage” vaccination to players. The division’s last available figures, for October, showed that 68pc had received two jabs – compared to 82pc nationally.

While recent figures published by the EFL show that 25pc of its players do not intend to get the Covid vaccine.

Norwich’s outbreak was combined with players that were symptomatic but not testing positive, as well as five players out injured. It’s believed hopes are high that influential duo Milot Rashica and Mathias Normann could be in contention to return on Sunday, if the game against Arsenal does go ahead.

City are due to go to Crystal Palace just two days later, on December 28, and then to Leicester on New Year’s Day.

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