Own Correspondent|Three Leicester City first-team players have self-isolated after showing symptoms of coronavirus and “have been kept away from the rest of the squad”, manager Brendan Rodgers has said.

Rodgers did not specify which players had been quarantined but added that the club had “followed procedures”.

The reports immediately turn the spotlight onto Marvelous Nakamba and his Aston Villa teammates.

The two sides clashed in an English Premiership match on Monday at King Power Stadium with the Foxes powering to an impressive 4-0 win.

The Foxes are also due to play Watford at Vicarage Road in the Premier League on Saturday at 12:30 GMT.

“We had a few players that have shown symptoms and signs,” Rodgers said.

“It would be a shame [if the Watford game were postponed], but the public’s health is the most important in all of this.”

Asked if the game could be played behind closed doors, Rodgers said: “The game is all about the players and the fans and if you have one of those not there, it’s obviously not the same.”

Leicester later released a statement saying: “In recent days, all three players presented with extremely mild illness and were advised by club medical staff, consistent with current government guidance.

“All three players were subsequently advised by NHS 111 that their symptoms were consistent with common seasonal illness and that a seven-day period of self-isolation was appropriate as a precaution. There was no recommendation that further testing would be necessary. The club is in regular contact with the relevant players, whose symptoms remain mild and self-manageable.”

The UK government is expected to announce on Thursday that it is stepping up its response to the pandemic.

It is anticipated the UK will switch to tactics aimed at delaying its spread, rather than containing it, when the government’s emergency committee meets.

Delay is the phase in which “social distancing” measures will be considered – which could include restrictions on public gatherings above a certain number of people, although this is not thought likely at this stage.

It comes after the World Health Organization designated the outbreak of the disease a pandemic.

There are 484 confirmed cases in the UK and eight people have died.

Top-flight leagues in Spain and Italy have been postponed, while Wednesday’s game between Manchester City and Arsenal was postponed as a “precautionary measure”.

Five Gunners players were in self-isolation after meeting Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Source: BBC