Liverpool FC boss Jurgen Klopp has been joined by Pep Guardiola in the push towards urging the Premier League board to reconsider the decision over allowing five substitutes to be made by the 20 teams in top-flight football across England.
Despite a majority of football leagues all around the world, namely the La Liga, Serie A, and even Europe’s most prestigious club competition, the UEFA Champions League, allowing teams to make as many five changes off the bench over the course of the game.
However, the Premier League was defiant in its approach towards the limiting the use of substitutions, instead choosing to cap the limit at just three, with calls made for favouritism of the ‘big six’, something that was outrightly denied by the Liverpool FC boss, as well as Guardiola, head coach of the Reds’ arch-rivals, Manchester City.
“All the teams have to understand why it’s so helpful. It’s not an advantage, it’s a necessity. 100 per cent,” said Klopp, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“In all other countries it happens and here we make a bit more fun of the competition by having only three subs. That is really incredible, so we have to talk again.”
Guardiola was even more vocal in his criticism of the Premier League sticking its guns to its original decision of the three substitute limit, as the Spanish manager argued for greater protection of the players from recurring injury troubles.
“All around the world it’s five substitutions, but here we believe we are more special people,” said the Manchester City boss.
“We don’t protect the players, and that’s why it’s a disaster. In this calendar, especially. I will demand, if the people allow, we have to come back to five substitutions. If not, it’s difficult to sustain it.”
The Reds have been on the back foot lately with a number of injury issues seemingly haunting Klopp’s side over the last few weeks, with Trent Alexander Arnold being the latest of victims on the recovery table.
