Tottenham Hotspur are expected to get a bye through to the next round of the Carabao Cup with their match at Leyton Orient to be cancelled.
Orient announced on Monday that a number of their players had tested positive for Covid-19 and would now strictly follow government self-isolation guidelines.
It is believed that Tottenham had offered to pay for Orient's testing ahead of the game and reports suggest that 18 people in total, among players and staff tested positive.
The League Two side also confirmed that The Breyer Group Stadium and their training ground facilities would be closed until further notice.
The case then went to Public Health England to decide what would happen next within current protocols and guidance.
With just over five hours until the planned kick-off time, it is now understood to be highly likely that the game will be called off and Spurs awarded the victory by the EFL once the official guidance is received by Public Health England.
Orient owner Nigel Travis said on TalkSPORT on Tuesday morning that he "expected to get communication from authorities the game will be off" but added that the club could put together a team and did not want it to be cancelled and rather rescheduled.
However, the competition rules indicate that the government advice is also key.
The rules state: "A club which is unable to fulfil its obligation to complete a Competition match in Round One to (and including) Round Four due to either: that Club’s Player(s) having returned a positive CAT result and self-isolating in accordance with the action plan set out in the Return to Play/Return to Training Protocols resulting in the Club not having a sufficient number of Players to fulfil the fixture; or any requirements or directions of the UK Government and/or by any public authority, shall forfeit the fixture, pay the opposing club’s expenses in accordance with Rule 5.8 and the opposing team shall receive a bye into the next round of the competition."
Spurs would then progress to the fourth round and a home tie against Chelsea or Barnsley.
Tottenham's match-worn shirts from the cup tie were due to be signed and auctioned in aid of the JE3 Foundation, set up in the memory of former player and Orient manager Justin Edinburgh.
The club are still expected to raise funds for the charity despite the match being cancelled.
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust have also been encouraging fans who would have ordinarily gone to the now behind closed doors match to donate towards the foundation with more than £8,000 raised in recent days.
