December 20, (THEWILL) – The English Premier League has confirmed that Luton Town’s match against Bournemouth on Saturday, which was abandoned after 59 minutes due to Tom Lockyer suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch, will be replayed in full at a later date this season.
The game at Kenilworth Road was halted with the scores level at 1-1 midway through the second half when Luton captain Lockyer collapsed in the centre circle. He received immediate medical attention before being rushed to hospital, where his condition was described as stable.
After discussions between match officials, players and managers from both clubs and the EPL, it was decided to abandon the fixture. The governing body has now announced the game will be rescheduled and played again in its entirety.
An EPL statement on the issue read: “The decision to abandon the match in the 59th minute was made collectively between the match officials, players, managers from both clubs and the Premier League. We wish Tom a continued recovery and our thoughts are with him, his family and all those at Luton Town FC.”
The decision aligns with laws set out by IFAB for the 2023/2024 season, which state abandoned matches should be replayed fully unless competition rules dictate otherwise. Luton and Bournemouth will face each other again later this campaign at a date yet to be confirmed.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
