Saturday’s game at Peterborough United has been postponed after Posh informed the EFL they would not be able to fulfil the fixture after an unnamed player tested positive Covid-19 and the subsequent requirement for their other players and staff to self-isolate for 10 days.
In a statement on their website, Posh announced that their next three games are off: "Peterborough United can confirm that our scheduled Sky Bet League One fixtures with Ipswich Town, Gillingham and Charlton Athletic have been postponed.
"The club can confirm that an unnamed player has tested positive for Covid-19 and three others are displaying symptoms. The safety and health of our players is paramount. The club have notified the EFL of the postponements.
"The next scheduled league fixture is on 2nd January 2021 against Doncaster Rovers at the Weston Homes Stadium. The club will be making no further comment.”
In addition to the player who has tested positive, three more are understood to be showing symptoms.
Details regarding the new date for the fixture will be released in due course, according to Town with Blues next in action against Northampton at Portman Road on Boxing Day.
Fans who have bought an iFollow match pass for the Peterborough match will be automatically refunded.
Although the postponement will lead to further fixture congestion for the Blues, Town might have some of their currently injured players available by the time the game is played.
Prior to the decision to call the game off, manager Paul Lambert spoke about going into the busy period of Christmas fixtures which he believed would be even tougher than usual.
"Any other time, apart from this year, I’d have given you the same answer, that it’s a tough time because of the number of games you’re playing,” he said.
"But it’s doubly tough because there are no fans, nobody knows if there’s a shutdown coming, nobody knows if there’s going to be a lockdown again, nobody knows what injuries you’re going to have. Nobody knows what Covid tests are happening, all those sorts of thing. This is doubly hard at the minute.”
Reflecting on visit to London Road with Posh third and the Blues fifth but both on 32 points, top points behind leaders Hull, he added: "We know we’re going to have to really play well. We’d have to play well with our strongest team.
"We’re going there with maybe not the strongest team but we’ve got a big heart, and I think that’s a big thing. We’ve got a big desire.
"Is that going to be good enough? I don’t know, but they’ll have to match our desire as well and we’ll have to match them. It’ll be a hard game as well, they’re strong but we’re not a million miles away from it. So, it’s a really good game.”
Lambert played down summer reports that he was interested in signing Peterborough striker Jonson Clarke-Harris prior to his move from Bristol Rovers in the summer.
"If I had some of your wages I might have been able to buy him!" he joked. "Unless there was going to be money from somewhere, we can’t do it, we can’t do it.
"The lad’s a handful and he’s done well for them, but we couldn’t go and buy anyone.”
He added: "At the top end of the pitch, they’re strong, you can see that. We have to try and be ourselves and play in our own way and try and cause them problems as well. We know it’s a tough game.
"They’ve got some good players there without a doubt. Darren’s done well with them there.
"I think it shows you how well we’ve done with the problems we’ve encountered here that we’re round about it with them and that’s without most of our big hitters. As I say, I can’t be more happy with what the guys have given me.”