Michael Owen says the Premier League need to scrap a new rule that opens players up to a "gauntlet of abuse".
New rules force substituted players to leave the field at the closest touchline, with Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino forced to walk around the pitch at Bramall Lane after leaving the field for James Milner in the 87th minute.
No fans were spotted abusing Firmino, and the new rule is aimed at stopping teams from using substitutions to waste time, but Owen says it opens up players to "abuse" and "missiles".
He tweeted after the match: "The new rule whereby substituted players are made to leave the pitch at the nearest point has to be scrapped.
"I’m all for speeding up the process of making a substitution but forcing players to walk two sides of a pitch running a gauntlet of abuse and hurled missiles is a joke."
