What happens next as Sunderland's clashes with Shrewsbury Town, Blackpool and Hull City postponed after COVID-19 outbreak

The Black Cats’ festive fixtures against Shrewsbury Town, Blackpool and Hull City have all been postponed after five positive COVID-19 cases were confirmed following an outbreak at the Academy of Light.

Sunderland have also opted to close their training ground for a ten-day period as they prepare for an extended period without fixtures.

So what comes next for the club and players? We take a look:

What will happen with the three fixtures and when will they be played?

With the three fixtures postponed, rearranged dates will be sought.

But in the interim period, the EFL will conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the postponements.

The governing body have done this will all fixtures postponed due to COVID-19 – and the exact nature of the investigation remains unclear given that none have come to a conclusion as of yet (hence why Sunderland were unsure on Tuesday of what sanctions, if any, could be imposed).

In a statement, the EFL said: “The circumstances surrounding the postponements will now be the subject of an investigation in accordance with EFL Regulations.”

They added that “revised dates for the rearranged fixtures will be confirmed in due course.

What does this mean for Sunderland’s players and their training schedule?

With the Academy of Light closed, Sunderland’s players will not be able to train as a group.

As a result, the club may opt to revert to individual programmes - as we saw during the early months of the year when the League One season was curtailed.

When will Sunderland return to training?

Sunderland are currently set to return to the Academy of Light on December 27.

That will give them two days to prepare prior to their scheduled return to League One action against Accrington Stanley on December 29.

What happens to the players who have tested positive and are self-isolating?

These players will now have to self-isolate for ten days under government and EFL protocols.

Provided that period has passed and they are not displaying symptoms, they can return to training on December 27.

Sunderland may also opt to conduct further tests to establish whether anyone is still carrying the virus before their return.

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