English Premier League allows 5 substitutions

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ANKARA (AA) – Clubs in England’s top football league will be allowed to make up to five substitutions during matches for the rest of the season.

In a statement on Thursday, the Premier League said increasing the maximum number of substitutions from three to five was part of “temporary changes.”

“Premier League Shareholders today agreed temporary changes to the rules relating to substitute players. For the remainder of the 2019/20 season, the number of substitutes that can be used during a match will increase from three to five players,” read the statement.

It said the number of substitute players on the bench was also increased from seven to nine.

England's top-flight football competition will restart on June 17 without fans in stadiums after a three-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The first matches -- Manchester City vs Arsenal and Aston Villa vs Sheffield United -- will be played mid-week, followed by a full round on the June 19-21 weekend.

There are 92 remaining fixtures in the 2019-2020 season, with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at the top with a 25-point lead and certain to be crowned champions.