England manager Gareth Southgate has backed his Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp’s demand by saying he wants the Premier League to reconsider its limit of three substitutions per match.
Reds boss Klopp said earlier this month it is “necessity” for clubs to have five substitutes per match in the Premier League, while his opposite number at Manchester City Pep Guardiola labelled the current three subs limit a “disaster.”
Premier League clubs voted to return to the usual three substitutions per game maximum this season that had been in place until the coronavirus-induced hiatus to complete the 2019/20 campaign.
With matches coming thick and fast after Project Restart enabled games to return in ‘covid-safe’ conditions between June and July, a temporary concession was brought in to enable Premier League teams to make up to five substitutions – but only over three stoppages in play (with half-time not counting).
Many sides thought being able to change up to half of your outfield players over the course of every game would create an even greater advantage to the richest clubs who can afford to assemble expensive squads with more strength in depth and chose to revert to the status quo.
However, the Premier League was the only major European league not to continue with the five substitutes option, which is also available in internationals.
As injuries mount amid a congested schedule, Southgate, who lost Liverpool defender Joe Gomez to a serious knee injury in training before the Republic of Ireland game and has now released Reds captain Jordan Henderson from the squad for the Iceland game so he can return to his club for his fitness to be assessed believes it is time for a rethink.
Sky Sports quote the England manager as saying: “We were able to make five changes against Belgium, we made four in the end and clubs don't have that option.
“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?”
Southgate, who is also unhappy at the lack of a winter break this season which started late because of the delayed finish to the previous campaign, said England had taken measures to try and help players recover physically but he worries the issue will persist if something is not done soon.
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He added: “I have to be fair to the club managers. They are their players firstly and they have the right to play them as they see fit.
“(Injuries are) a worry in the longer term because with no winter break, something has to give.”
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