Leeds United's Premier League campaign to continue despite second national lockdown

Premier League football will continue along with elite sport in England despite the government announcing a second national lockdown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the month-long lockdown would start on Thursday and Oliver Dowden confirmed top-level sport would not be affected.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport tweeted that people should work from home where possible.

However, he added: “Where this is not possible, travel to a place of work will be permitted – e.g. this includes (but not exhaustive) elite sport played behind closed doors, film & tv production, telecoms workers.”

Johnson ordered the country to stay at home in a bid to reverse the spread of Covid-19 in the build-up to the festive period.

Asked if Premier League matches would still be played, Johnson told a Downing Street press conference: “I can say yes to the Premier League.

“We will get through this. But we must act now to contain this autumn surge.”

The Prime Minister said that without action, deaths would reach “several thousand a day”, with a “peak of mortality” worse than the country saw during the lockdown in April.

Pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential retail across the nation will close from Thursday.

Dowden added: “We understand people will have a lot of questions and @DCMS officials & ministers will be working through these and detailed implications with sectors over the coming days.”

Leeds United are due to face Leicester City in the Premier League on Monday evening before next weekend's trip to Crystal Palace.

Premier League footballers are tested twice a week for Covid-19, but Football League protocols are far less stringent.

International and European club football is also due to be played in November.