Premier League Urged To Reconsider 5 Substitutes Rule By England Boss Southgate

Forum 3 years ago

Premier League Urged To Reconsider 5 Substitutes Rule By England Boss Southgate

England manager Gareth Southgate has urged the Premier League to consider returning to five substitutions per game after a number of players suffered injuries during the international break.

Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson have left the Three Lions’ squad on Monday with fitness problems though Ben Chilwell, who has a back injury, has stayed.

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have been leading the conversation on returning to five substitutes, with the Liverpool and Manchester City managers both in favour.

Clubs voted against the option to continue with five changes at the beginning of the 2020-21 season.

Some critics have claimed that allowing more changes in a game hands an advantage to bigger clubs, who can bring on higher-quality players from the bench.

Southgate, though, thinks the issue of player welfare has to be addressed before the situation deteriorates.

“We were able to make five changes against Belgium – we made four in the end – and clubs don’t have that option,” Southgate said.

“What will it take for that to change? There were a couple of less serious injuries against Belgium but what do we do? Wait until we get a load of really nasty ones?”

“I have to be fair to the club managers,” he said. “They are their players firstly, and they have the right to play them as they see fit. What we have got to do as a collective is to try to help the load.”