West Ham manager David Moyes believes testing Premier League players twice a week for Covid-19 will help limit its spread as fears grow over a mutant variant of the coronavirus which is believed to be more infectious.
Top-flight players in tier four areas will be tested for Covid-19 twice a week as soon as it is practically possible to do so, the PA news agency understands.
Players in the Premier League have been tested on a weekly basis since the start of the 2020-21 season, but testing at clubs in tier four areas will now revert to the level used during 'Project Restart' in the summer.
Asked about the possibility of pausing the season now and extending it into June, Lambert said: "Yes you could, because League One and Two – no disrespect, but they don't have too many international players that need to go into the Euros.
"I don't think anybody would have any grievance on that. But there's got to be a safer way, and a fairer way to get through. Whether it's the testing... at the minute, I know for a fact, and I can only speak because I have had it, it's not working."
The EFL said its clubs would be "reviewing and further strengthening their Covid-19 protocols to help minimise the transmission risk" but that this would still only cover mandatory testing where players or staff are showing symptoms.
League-wide testing is conducted at strategic times during the season, with the next set scheduled for the week beginning January 4.
It is understood measures which will be looked at include keeping time in indoor environments on club premises to an absolute minimum, a review of the use of gyms, changing facilities, showers and catering facilities, using multiple coaches or individuals' cars to travel to matches and limiting contact with anyone outside of a household bubble over Christmas.
