Gareth Southgate at centre of row with Piers Morgan after England manager’s positive coronavirus test

Gareth Southgate has been challenged to confirm when he tested positive for coronavirus after the England manager found himself at the centre of a surprise row with broadcaster Piers Morgan.

Southgate confirmed on Sunday night that he tested positive for coronavirus towards the end of October, which forced him to self-isolate for 10 days in-between international games.

As the isolation did not impact his England commitments, the positive test was kept confidential by Southgate and the Football Association, but though the FA refused to comment on reports by The Sun that he had already contracted the virus, Southgate elected to confirm the news following the Nations League defeat by Belgium.

"Look, I did have the virus," Southgate said following Sunday’s 2-0 loss. "I was fortunate (it was) not as serious as so many people in our country.

"But, yeah, not pleasant, not something you'd choose to have. But everything's fine now."

Read more: What feels like another bad defeat for England but actually isn’t?

The revelations triggered a furious response from Good Morning Britain presenter Morgan, who said that he attended a GQ Heroes event in the days leading up to Southgate’s positive test, where he spoke to the England manager.

According to The Sun, Southgate tested positive around the 25 October, but Morgan criticised him for not informing those at the event of his positive test as the result was kept under wraps. Other public figures who attended the event included Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, Olympian Dina Asher-Smith, former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas and ex-Downing Street director of communications Alastair Campbell.

"Hmmmm... England manager Gareth Southgate reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 on Oct 25," Morgan wrote on Twitter. "I was chatting with him on 22 October at GQ Heroes event, with the magazine's editors.

"He didn't tell any of us he tested positive three days later. If dates are correct, that's disgraceful.

"I have some questions for Gareth Southgate: 1) When exactly did you first became covid symptomatic?

"2) Was the test on 25 October routine or because you had symptoms?

"3) Why did you not tell people you knew who you'd been with on 22 October that you tested positive?"

Government guidelines state that anyone suffering from Covid-19 symptoms “may want to tell people you’ve been in close contact with in the past 48 hours that you might have coronavirus.

“Examples of close contact include: close face-to-face contact (under one metre) for any length of time – including talking to them or coughing on them; being within one to two metres of each other for more than 15 minutes – including travelling in a small vehicle.”

Although Southgate’s positive test is understood to have come three days after the GQ event where he spoke to Morgan - more than the 48-hour window that is recommended by the government - it is not clear if and when he started to experience any symptoms.