Burnley v Southampton stopped to allow Muslim players to break fast

Burnley's match against Southampton was stopped in the first half to allow visiting players observing Ramadan to break their fast.

Ramadan sees Muslims around the world partaking in a period of fasting where they do not eat or drink during the daylight hours from dawn until sunset, which occurred at 8:26pm on Thursday evening.

English football has become more open to accommodate requests for those observing the fast in recent seasons and this year referees will again allow a pause in evening matches - if requested - for players to break their fast.

And so it occurred in the 41st minute of the Clarets' crucial 2-0 victory against Ralph Hasenhuttl's men, allowing Saints stars Mohamed Elyounoussi and Yan Valery to take on nutrition.

There was also a pre-match announcement to inform all those attending that there would be a break in play.

It comes nearly a year after Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyate were allowed to have Iftar, the evening meal breaking the fast, when Leicester City played Crystal Palace last season.

Earlier this month, Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure was able to break his fast following a pause during his side's defeat at Burnley. 

A Bundesliga game was also stopped for the first time in history last week to allow Mainz star Moussa Niakhate to break his fast.

And Palace's head of sports medicine Dr Zaf Iqbal has praised the improved awareness and actions taken by Premier League clubs and referees' to assist players who are observing the period of fasting this year.

'There certainly has been a lot more awareness,' Dr Iqbal, who has worked in the Premier League since 2007, told PA.

'It's been excellent to see that managers, coaches and staff are more understanding of others' beliefs and are