From what I've read it's a myth that viruses necessarily become weaker over time. There is not currently the evidence to say with any authority that this new variant is more deadly than any previous one.
It was a league game on sky but think they win 4-0 and then 5-0 in the cup later that season. This was a year or two after we lost 5-0 at the Hawthorns. Our record against them is abysmal