David Moyes asks why football can be viewed in cinemas but not in stadiums

David Moyes has called for the Government to explain why fans cannot watch West Ham’s match against Manchester City in the ground – when they can watch it inside a nearby cinema.

The Vue Cinema at Stratford’s Westfield Shopping Centre, a 10-minute walk from the London Stadium, is showing Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.

For a cost of £6.99 fans can watch the match along with members of their household or support bubble, in line with Government guidance on coronavirus.

But, like many, West Ham manager Moyes is baffled as to why people can gather indoors to see the game, but not outdoors in a 60,000-capacity stadium.

“Firstly the best I can do is the leave the Government, the people who know the best and are speaking to all the advisors, to that because I’m certainly not an expert on a pandemic,” said Moyes.

“But I watched the European games this week and have seen crowds back in different countries, and it’s hard to believe we can’t do that.

“I don’t think any of us want 500 or 1,000 people back in the grounds, we need a good percentage of capacity – 25 or 30 per cent. Why can those countries be doing it and not us?

“Are we so much worse than the others? Again, it’s not probably not my bag but I feel it’s not right.

“And people going watch a game in a cinema, close to here, why can we not be sitting outside in the open air doing it?

“Maybe there’s other reasons – maybe it’s the travelling on the tube, the bus, maybe it’s the pubs. But if that is the case, please come out and give us an explanation as to why we can’t do it.”

Moyes and two of his players recently had to self-isolate after testing positive for Covid-19.

The Scot, 57, was back on the touchline for last weekend’s dramatic 3-3 draw at Tottenham.