Euro 2020: England players Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount isolating after coming into contact with Billy Gilmour who tested positive for COVID
Scotland聽midfielder Billy Gilmour tested positive for coronavirus after Friday's clash with England.
Tuesday 22 June 2021 12:14, UK
England's Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount are isolating after coming into contact with Scotland's Billy Gilmour during Friday's Euro 2020 match between the two countries.
Gilmour tested positive for COVID-19 and is also isolating. His Scotland teammates are not in isolation, however.
England manager Gareth Southgate said there was "quite a doubt" that Chilwell and Mount - Chelsea teammates of Gilmour - would be available to play against Czech Republic in the final group game at Wembley on Tuesday.
The trio were seen embracing at the end of the match on Friday. Official government advice says that "hugging increases the risk of spreading COVID-19".
Speaking in a news conference early on Monday evening, Southgate said: "We just have to find out over the next 12 hours or so."
He told reporters there are "still a lot of discussions and investigations going on behind the scenes".
Admitting that Chilwell and Mount could be out for 10 days, Southgate said it was a "disruptive" situation and "there are a lot of unknowns frankly at this moment in time".
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Isolation is being imposed on midfielder Mount and left back Chilwell as a "precaution in consultation with Public Health England" (PHE), the FA said.
Southgate said PCR tests among his squad on Sunday had been followed by lateral flow ones on Monday, for a "belt and braces approach".
None had tested positive, the FA confirmed.
Scotland, who have also been under the PHE umbrella, have avoided any further absences, despite the positive test being in their camp.
Former England striker Gary Lineker said that removing Chilwell and Mount "makes no sense".
He tweeted that "surely" the pair can play against Czech Republic if they continue to test negative, despite having had "close contact" with Gilmour.
He added: "Otherwise surely every single Scottish player, who all hugged Gilmour after the game, won't be allowed to play either."
The FA said in a statement: "As a precaution at this time and in consultation with PHE, Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount are isolating after interaction with Scotland player Billy Gilmour at Friday's match.
"The pair will be kept away from the rest of the England players and wider support team, pending further discussions with PHE."
A PHE spokesperson indicated that the decision to tell the players to isolate had come from the FA.
They said PHE was "working with the FA to identify close contacts of Billy Gilmour and any risk to other players and staff".
The Scottish FA said Gilmour will self-isolate for 10 days following the positive test. It means he will miss Scotland's crunch match against Croatia at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Tuesday.
He was awarded man of the match in Scotland's draw against England at Wembley on Friday - his full international debut.
Manager Steve Clarke said Gilmore would have started against Croatia, but now someone else has the chance to "make themselves a national hero".
Gilmour is "upset, as you would expect", but does not have any symptoms.
Asked how Gilmour got the virus, Clarke said it is "not my department".
Sky Sports News said it understands that no other Scotland players have been affected or identified as close contacts, meaning the remainder of the squad will be available for the Croatia match.
The Scots must win to progress to the knockout stages, in what is their first major tournament in 25 years.
Both sides are on one point after two matches, while England and the Czech Republic are on four points ahead of their Wembley meeting.