DOUBTS over Oxford United’s Boxing Day clash at Fratton Park have intensified after Portsmouth’s chief executive Andy Cullen revealed ‘a significant number’ of the squad is isolating.

Pompey have already called off matches with AFC Wimbledon and Exeter City in the last week, following a Covid outbreak.

As reported in Portsmouth News, Cullen revealed another round of lateral flow testing took place this morning to determine player availability.

The south coast club is now waiting the outcome of those tests.

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Cullen told The News: “We had another round of lateral flow this morning and that will determine the status of the Boxing Day game.

“It may well be that a call is made pretty early considering our long-term injuries and a number of players still in isolation up to and including Boxing Day, or even beyond that.

“We are in touch with the EFL at the moment, while Oxford have their own issues. They were barely able to get to the numbers on Saturday for their game with Wigan.

“I wouldn’t want to give a number, but quite a significant number of the squad which have tested positive.

“We would also have a number of them missing on Boxing Day because of the isolation rules, with it being 10 full days following the day you’ve had a positive test.

“We need to see what happens in the next two days, but there is likely to be an early decision.”