England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer has urged players to stop such physical contact and a senior politician suggested on Thursday yellow cards should be brandished for hugging. The Premier League was holding virtual meetings to reinforce the message that protocols must be respected, but Lampard echoed other top flight managers in suggesting that was easier said than done. "The players are good lads and they don't want to do the wrong thing. Premier League guidelines for on-field behaviour state that "unnecessary contact, particularly between opposition teams, must be avoided. We will follow what the Premier League says but I don't know if we will be able to do it," he added.

Source: Standard Digital January 14, 2021 18:22 UTC