The Premier League has confirmed that teams will be allowed to use five substitutes in a game from next season.
News broke on Wednesday that stakeholders were set to approve the notion in light of the IFAB's (International Football Association Board) decision to make the measure permanent. Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp were all keen supporters of the rule being reimplemented.
Clubs who successfully voted against the reintroduction in pre-season had argued that it was only ever supposed to be a temporary measure and mooted that it handed advantages to rivals with bigger squads. However, the IFAB’s decision to go ahead with the five-subs rule prompted captains and managers of Premier League clubs to express broad support for the change.
READ MORE: Manchester United have already signed their ideal transfer target profile
With this now being passed, MEN Sport looks at six United players who may see more game time as a result.
Marcus Rashford
England international Marcus Rashford has had an underwhelming season and has failed to replicate the form fans had become accustomed to. His perceived demoralised on-pitch attitude has only added to the rumours that there is an unsettled mood within the squad.
Next season’s returning rule could offer him a greater chance at redemption, allowing for more players to get on the pitch in any one game and experience more game time - something Rashford desperately needs. Of the 19 Premier League matches he has played this season, nine of them have come from the bench.
Fred, Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay
Both Fred and Scott McTominay may feel at risk of being subjected to limited game time next season with United in the hunt for a central midfielder. The United duo have often been criticised for not producing top-level performances on a consistent basis.
Nemanja Matic has played a bit-part role for United this term, but the option of five subs may allow him to see out the final year of his deal with mud on his boots rather than gathering cobwebs on the bench. The measure could mean all three would see more action on the pitch than they otherwise might have should a new signing come in.
Fred and McTominay have started considerably more league games than Matic’s 10 (21 and 22 respectively) but this game time will not be as readily available in 2022/23 if a summer recruit comes on board.
Alex Telles
The 29-year-old has got a real chance to impress when a new manager comes in at the end of this season as he tries to take Luke Shaw’s spot. The England defender has been solid this campaign and may well still be first choice under the next boss, but all will not be lost for Telles.
Shaw has been plagued by injuries for much of his career. Out of all of the United defenders, it is arguably he who is most likely to be substituted, perhaps even more so once the five-subs rule is brought back in. This then opens the door for Telles who will need to make his mark early on if he is to claim a regular place in the starting XI.
Eric Bailly
The centre-back is still working his way back from an ankle knock sustained while at the Africa Cup of Nations. Bailly is perhaps considered the fourth-choice centre-back at the club behind Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof. But supporters of Premier League clubs could start seeing their centre-backs being substituted a lot more frequently because of the five-subs rule - something that Bailly may benefit from.
The returning substitution rule would also benefit the likes of Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba, and Jesse Lingard, but all three look set to depart Manchester once their contracts expire.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
