Manchester United to start Covid status spot checks this weekend

The Red Devils face Newcastle at Old Trafford.

Manchester United will start spot-checking fans for their Covid status from their match against Newcastle on September 11 (David Davies/PA) (PA Archive)

Manchester United are to carry out spot checks on fans’ Covid-19 status, starting with their match against Newcastle on September 11.

Covid certification checks are expected to become mandatory for people attending large events from October 1, and United have announced that supporters “should be ready to have their Covid status checked” this weekend.

A statement on the club’s website read: “The Government has indicated that Covid certification checks are likely to be mandatory for those attending large events from 1 October 2021. In line with Premier League guidance, this is expected to apply at all Manchester United matches at Old Trafford.”

The process will be done through the NHS Covid Pass, available through the NHS App.

Adults will have to confirm they are either fully vaccinated or have received a negative PCR or lateral flow test result within 48 hours of kick-off.

Meanwhile, two individuals connected to Premier League clubs tested positive for Covid-19 in last week’s testing, the lowest number recorded so far this season.

The positives came from tests conducted on 1,952 players and club staff between Monday, August 30 and Sunday, September 5.

The twice-weekly testing programme resumed at the start of August and the figure breaks the trend of the week-on-week increases seen to this point.

However, there have also been fewer samples taken, with many players away on international duty.

Previous results saw nine positives recorded in the first week of August, followed by 11 in the week ending August 15 and 16 in the week ending August 22.