Pep Guardiola slams Premier League clubs who voted against five subs rule

Pep Guardiola has slammed the decision to return to three substitutions this season. Manchester City boss accused those who have said the temporary introduction of five replacements – which was in effect after the resumption of last season – of knowing nothing about football. The Premier League changed their rules in June, as football emerged from the lockdown, to allow nine substitutes to be named, of which five could be used during games. Several clubs wanted the new rule to remain in place in the current campaign, arguing that the same issue remained – the busy schedule made players more vulnerable. Guardiola was incredulous that the idea had been thrown out, suggesting that player safety should be paramount, and that the smaller clubs run just the same risks as those at the top. He said: “I don’t understand why in this incredible period when everyone is concerned about Covid-19 and everyone is not allowed to go to restaurants, or should observe social distance and is not allowed to do what you want to do - in this incredible schedule we have after the pandemic, and (after) we finished the season late and started quickly - how we cannot protect the players with five substitutions. Instead we stick to three. “When the argument is that it favours the top five or top six, it’s because the people don’t understand absolutely anything. The guys who are going to play (in teams) below the top five or six teams - the teams that people suggest are the stronger - they have the same problem as all of them. "They have games every three days, and there is a way just to protect the players. We have to protect the business, yes, but we have to protect the players, and with five substitutions we protect the players. Forget about tactics, forget about which favourite team is going well. But I don’t decide these kind of situations.” Source- Manchester Evening News Join us on Telegram

Pep Guardiola addresses his future as Manchester City manager