Arsenal-PSV postponed due to 'severe' drain on police resources

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Arsenal's Europa League group-stage match against PSV Eindhoven, initially scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed because of the massive drain on police resources following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

All matches in England, including children's fixtures, were postponed on the weekend to pay respect to the Queen, who died at the age of 96.

King Charles III, who ascended the throne, will lead a procession to Westminster Hall in London, where the Queen will lie in state until her funeral Monday.

The procession and ceremony will cause "severe limitations on police resources," UEFA said Monday.

However, Chelsea's Champions League match at home to Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday is expected to go ahead as planned. Authorities consider Arsenal's game against PSV to be of higher risk because of the number of fans traveling from Eindhoven, according to The Independent's Miguel Delaney.

Premier League matches also face the risk of further postponement. Chelsea's game against Liverpool in west London on Sunday is unlikely to take place because of safety concerns. Other fixtures at risk include Tottenham Hotspur's match against Leicester City in north London on Saturday and Brentford's clash with Arsenal on Sunday.

It's unclear when UEFA will reschedule Arsenal's postponed fixture. With the international break taking up the last two weeks of September and midweek and weekend matches scheduled up until players leave for the World Cup on Nov. 14, the Gunners have little room to squeeze in another fixture.

The Europa League group stage is set to end Nov. 3.

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