Klopp backs Rangnick and Tuchel calls for Premier League rule change

Several clubs are pushing to persuade Premier League to let teams make five substitutions per game.

The new wave of the Omicron variant has caused a sudden surge in cases across England. In recent weeks, several Premier League clubs have suffered COVID-19 outbreaks, which has severely damaged their squad depth.

Premier League decided to avoid a force shut down. However, it has postponed up to 15 games in December. As the January schedule gets tighter, several coaches have called the authorities on returning the five-substitution rule.

🗣 "The whole of Europe has five changes, the whole of Europe has a winter break. People at the chairs, at the green table, somewhere in offices take these decisions."

Thomas Tuchel is not giving up the fight against the fixture schedule and the fight for five substitutions pic.twitter.com/3BtwfQXkRG
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) December 26, 2021

Following the public requests of Ralf Rangnick and Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp has also backed the idea.

Speaking in a pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s game against Leicester City, the manager said (via Fotmob): “All other leagues have five changes. Then we compete against them in the Champions League. It’s a bit frustrating. It will not stop.”

He added: “The problem is this intensity for top class football in England is definitely at the edge,

“In the league we have 38 games. Two cup competitions, even if we do not go to the final, let’s [estimate] another five, it’s 43. Pretty much all of them play for their national teams, nine, 10 games a year? Plus, Champions League games, so you come pretty quick to more than 50 games, or higher.

“My first season here we played the [Europa League] final, I think it was the 64th game.

“The decision about [five subs] is made, and we realised again in the manager’s meeting, the decision is made by 14 clubs. I think you need 14 votes to change it, and there’s something wrong.”

Following the enforced break in 2020, Premier League introduced the five-substitution rule. However, the competition reverted back to the normal three permitted alterations for the 2020-21 campaign.

The Liverpool boss added: “For example, Burnley, I’m not sure how many of their players play international football, when our players have three games, they have no game. They play 38 Premier League games, cup games another two, three, four? That makes it 42.

“We talk about an issue that some [clubs and players] definitely have, but it’s decided by other teams and because we make a competition of it, it is like ‘no, they are better than us’, and that’s a real problem because [five subs] is the right decision because you bring players back after a COVID infection or after an injury and because of the games you have to play, they have to play immediately and then they go out again.

“You cannot take them off after 60 minutes because you have to change others, so that’s a real problem.

“This wonderful game is so wonderful because usually the players on the pitch are in good shape, are well trained, have well recovered and go for it, and that’s why we love the game.

“The best league in the world and the most intense league in the world is the only league in Europe, and maybe in the world I don’t know, with still three subs, and that’s not right.”

Following a penalty win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup, Liverpool will once again face the Foxes on Tuesday. The Reds will then meet Chelsea at Stamford Bridge five days later.