Increase in subs to benefit big clubs: Chris Basham
EPL teams can call on five replacements instead of three until end of season
Sheffield United defender Chris Basham fears the introduction of the five substitutes rule for the rest of the season will favour the English Premier League’s big clubs.
Chris Wilder’s side are pushing for an unexpected Champions League place as the English top-flight season resumes on Thursday morning (Singapore time, June 18) with the Blades’ trip to Aston Villa.
But concern over players suffering injuries due to the long Covid-19 lay-off has convinced the authorities to allow five substitutions to be made, instead of the usual three, for the remainder of the campaign.
The change has led to debate across European football over whether it is a good idea.
Basham, whose team are just five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with a game in hand, is concerned the new Fifa rule, designed to help clubs better manage the hectic fixture list, will favour sides with bigger squads.
“I think the substitutes thing that has come in will affect us a little bit because we are not going to be as strong as the top six sides,” Basham told BBC Radio on Sunday.
“But we are going to give it a good go and the manager would not let us do anything other than that.
“The manager said we can go from just being in the Premier League, staying up, or we can go and do something we’ve never done before and that is getting into Europe and getting into the Champions League.” – AFP
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