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Interviews

PRE-MATCH | Michael Flynn: "We can field a team and I am not into trying to get any advantage through it"

3 September 2021

Interviews

PRE-MATCH | Michael Flynn: "We can field a team and I am not into trying to get any advantage through it"

3 September 2021

Manager Michael Flynn has confirmed Newport County AFC will be without seven players against Leyton Orient due to a coronavirus outbreak.

Four members of the Exiles' squad have tested positive for Covid and an additional three will miss out on Saturday afternoon after coming into close contact with the quartet.

The full squad returned a full round of negative tests before the Carabao Cup defeat against Southampton - a game which Flynn was absent from after a period of self-isolation.

He returned to the sidelines for the mid-week win over Plymouth Argyle in the Papa John's Trophy, but will have to make do without seven players for County's first home league game of the campaign this weekend.

"I have got seven players out with Covid," said Flynn. 

"There are four that have got it and three that have to isolate after being in close contact with their teammates. We can field a team and I am not into trying to get any advantage through it.

"Until this, I would say we’ve had the best Covid record in the Football League. We haven’t had one game called off and we only had one player who’d had it, but that was away from the group."

The Exiles boss didn’t confirm the names of all those who would be absent for this weekend’s fixture to keep Leyton Orient guessing ahead of their trip to South Wales.

But he revealed Lewis Collins, who was due to be on international duty with Wales Under-21s this week, will miss out against the O’s.

"I won’t name them because they will know who’s missing tomorrow,” said Flynn.

"But I will give one name and this is how unfortunate we have been.

"Lewis Collins has had two jabs and was going to go away with Wales Under-21s but he only had his second jab 10 days before he was in close contact with one of the other players.

"In the rules you have to be two weeks post-second jab. He has been so unfortunate."


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