Big freeze claims Blues v United clash

Tomorrow’s high-profile Barclays Premier League clash between title rivals Chelsea and Manchester United became the most significant casualty of this weekend’s snow and freezing temperatures.

After today’s Barclays Premier League matches at Arsenal, Wigan, Liverpool and Birmingham all fell foul of the weather, the showdown in west London was also scuppered.

Chelsea cited heavy snow in the capital, saying in a statement: “Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge has been postponed following consultation with the police and the local authority.

“There has been heavy snow in London on Saturday.”

Wigan’s home match against Aston Villa at the DW Stadium and Liverpool’s game against Fulham were both postponed due to heavy overnight snow.

Birmingham’s clash with Newcastle joined them on the casualty list just before noon on safety grounds before Arsenal also admitted defeat ahead of their match against Stoke.

The Gunners said in a statement: “Further to a huge deluge of snow in north London starting over Emirates Stadium at 11.38am, the match referee Lee Mason made the decision at 12.07pm to postpone today’s match.

“Approximately three inches of snow fell over this half hour period and there continues to be heavy snowfall with no apparent let-up.”

Temperatures were predicted to be -6 degrees at the scheduled 5.30pm kick-off time at Anfield, but conditions around the ground and on roads in the area forced an early postponement of Liverpool’s match.

Birmingham-Newcastle was called off at the request of referee Mike Jones and the local authorities, who deemed it unsafe for the match to go ahead.

Blackpool’s home Barclays Premier League game against Tottenham tomorrow has also been postponed, the Seasiders have announced.

Wigan earlier issued a statement confirming their game had been postponed, citing “freak weather conditions in the town overnight” as the reason.

In the npower Championship, Cardiff’s match against Burnley fell foul of the latest big freeze last night following heavy snowfall in south Wales.

Portsmouth’s game against Scunthorpe became the second Championship match of the weekend to fall victim to the snow – the south coast club’s second postponement in two weeks after ice and snow accounted for their clash with Burnley.

It was later joined by Watford’s game against Preston due to heavy snowfall at Vicarage Road and Millwall’s home game with Barnsley.

Exeter’s home game against Sheffield Wednesday was the last game to survive in League One and Two.

In Scotland, Hamilton’s home game against Celtic today became the fourth casualty in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League after the Rangers-St Mirren, Aberdeen-Motherwell and St Johnstone-Dundee United clashes were postponed yesterday.

Ten other games in the Scottish leagues have also been called off.

Newcastle’s Amlin Challenge Cup game against Exeter tomorrow has been moved 70 miles from a frozen Kingston Park to Galashiels in the Scottish borders.

The switch followed a pitch inspection by European Rugby Cup officials.

The Netherdale ground has undersoil heating, and it became the only viable option despite other venues in the north-east and Cumbria being considered.

The weather is also playing havoc with racing, with all but one of today’s meetings definitely off.

Lingfield was called off after a 1000 GMT inspection this morning, joining Ascot, Newcastle and Haydock on today’s casualty list.

Carlisle’s meeting tomorrow has also already bitten the dust, along with racing at Taunton on Monday.

There is better news for Southwell, though, where no inspection is planned.

Today’s British Basketball League game between Guildford Heat and Newcastle Eagles was also postponed.