Sports fixtures across the country will be behind closed doors again in new Covid-19 restrictions

Fans will be locked out of sporting events across the whole country as Covid-19 restrictions are once again tightened to combat the new strain of the virus.

All Premier League and EFL football matches will return to being played behind closed doors with Liverpool poised to return to Tier Three coronavirus rules.

Liverpool and Everton were the only two Premier League clubs permitted up to 2,000 fans at their games but the latest Government measures will see empty stands once more.

Sports events across the country will return to behind closed doors events with the latest Covid-19 crackdown placing everywhere except the Isles of Scilly into tier three or four

Two thousands supporters had been allowed into recent Liverpool home matches but that will now end with the city back into tier three

Sporting events in tier two are allowed up to 2,000 spectators while those in tier one are permitted up to 4,000. 

But, under the new national restrictions announced on Wednesday afternoon, only the Isles of Scilly, off Cornwall, are in tier one and no area is now in tier two. 

When the last set of tier restrictions were brought in on Boxing Day, only seven EFL clubs – Carlisle United, Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City, Bournemouth, Shrewsbury Town, Harrogate Town and Tranmere Rovers – were in tier two and therefore allowed 2,000 fans.

But this proved short-lived, with the Government placing millions into tighter tiers on Wednesday. 

The areas moved up from tier two into tier three include Liverpool, Rutland, North Yorkshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. 

More to follow.