PFA demands Premier League clubs increase bench and reintroduce five subs rule ‘with immediate effect’
The IndependentSign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has written to the Premier League and all 20 member clubs to demand the “immediate” reintroduction of five substitutes in the top flight. All the other major top European leagues have five subs available again in 2020/21, as do Uefa competitions, but the Premier League returned to a bench of seven and the use of only three again. Brown’s letter reads: “This is now paramount in the interests of player welfare and health and safety and we respectfully request the Premier League board of directors and its executive team to convince all of its member clubs to adopt and ask you to reintroduce the five subs rule with immediate effect. “I note that Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Leeds United were all impacted by early injuries during last weekend’s fixtures, while a further eleven Premier League clubs have players unavailable due to problems that might reasonably be attributed to physical load and fatigue.