EPL sides say no to five subs again

LONDON • Premier League clubs yesterday rejected the use of five substitutes, up from the usual three, for the third time this season, likely spelling the end of the motion to temporarily change the competition's rules.

According to multiple British media reports, the latest vote at yesterday's shareholder meeting of the 20 clubs was deadlocked at 10 votes to 10, falling short of the 14-6 majority required under the regulations for any change.

The proposal had been championed by the likes of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola. However, the Premier League remains the only major European football league not to adopt the ruling, which has been allowed by the sport's lawmaking body Ifab to cope with fixture congestion brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

But in what is seen as a concession to the Premier League's top clubs - the "Big Six" have been the ones pushing for the change - a separate vote to extend the number of substitutes able to be named on the bench from seven to nine went through.

Despite Klopp and Guardiola's vocal demands for five substitutes, railing against the lack of concern for player welfare, both managers have made use of their bench sparingly.

The German did not make a substitution in Liverpool's 2-1 Premier League win over Tottenham on Wednesday, while the Spaniard has made only three substitutions over City's last two games. Guardiola has also used his full complement of three substitutes just thrice in the league this term.

With the rejection of the motion, this leaves the FA Cup as the only English competition that will permit the use of five substitutes and this will be evident when next month's third round, which will see the entry of Premier League clubs, commences.

Football Association (FA) chief executive Mark Bullingham said: "The reason we want it (five substitutes) in the competition is the reason most other leagues around the world have applied it. That is, for player welfare."

In another separate vote yesterday, Premier League clubs agreed in principle to introduce additional permanent concussion substitutions after the Ifab approved trials. Following the agency's decision to give the go-ahead to trials on Wednesday, the new rule will allow a maximum of two permanent concussion replacements in cases of a head injury, regardless of the number of substitutions a team has already made.

The new protocols will also allow the opposing team to make an equivalent number of changes and the Premier League said it hopes to begin trials by next month.

"The trial is a result of the Ifab's consultation with stakeholders and recommendations from their concussion expert group to allow additional substitutions for players with actual or suspected concussion," it said in a statement.

REUTERS