Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp are urging the Premier League to reintroduce its five substitute rule, following Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer in criticising the reversion to three subs.
Following footballs restart in June from its coronavirus suspension, the 20 top-flight clubs were allowed to use five substitutes per game.
Klopp and Guardiola are not happy with using just three substitutes
But that rule was scrapped following a vote from Premier League clubs ahead of the 2020/21 season, with three substitutes per game returning.
However, Europe’s other top leagues continue to utilise the five subs rule, as do UEFA continental competitions the Champions League and Europa League.
Due to a congested schedule, brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, matches have been coming thick and fast and more injuries have been recorded this season than is usual.
Following Man Citys 1-1 draw with Liverpool, Guardiola and Klopp were seen talking to each other at full-time.
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And Guardiola has confirmed they were speaking about their wish to use five substitutes in each domestic game.
He told Sky Sports: We didnt speak about the result. We spoke about how we need to fight again and again for five substitutions.
Look, an international England player, Trent Alexander-Arnold, hes injured. All around the world, there are five substitutions.
But here we believe we are more special people and [use] just three players. We dont protect the players.
Thats why its a disaster with this calendar. I will demand, if the people allow my voice, to come back with five substitutions.
It will help the players, the managers and everywhere to do it. If not its difficult to sustain it.
Liverpool right-back Alexander-Arnold was forced off with a calf injury in the 63rd minute at the Etihad and could miss Englands upcoming matches against Ireland, Belgium and Iceland.
Alexander-Arnold suffered a calf injury during Sunday’s match
Meanwhile, Guardiola has been without several key players at different times of the season so far, including Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Aymeric Laporte.
Klopp and Guardiola are not alone in wanting a reversion to the five subs rule as a result of the hectic fixture schedule.
Earlier this month Man United manager Solksjaer said he backed five substitutes ‘100 per cent’, and he was extremely critical of the Red Devils’ fixture list after Saturday’s defeat of Everton.
Asked whether he was in favour of the five subs rule, Solskjaer said: “One hundred per cent. I don’t understand and I cannot believe the vote went against because we have to look after the players.
“We have to think about the players. This season is the most demanding season of all.
Solskjaer could not hide his frustration at Manchester United’s intense fixture schedule
“I can see the point why clubs voted against but if you take a step back and think about these professional footballers and their mental and physical health the only sensible solution would have been to give us the opportunity to rest a few more.
“We have already seen a lot of injuries in the Premier League. I would have liked to have five subs.”
And then after Saturday’s defeat of Everton, Solskjaer added: They set up the boys to fail.
“We have got Luke Shaw injured because we have played loads of games this season already, been to Turkey on Wednesday, got back at 4am on Thursday and we are playing a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.
It is an absolute shambles and I cannot praise the boys enough for the character they have shown. That is all I want to talk about. Those boys deserve better than being thrown out here to fail today. The authorities set us up to fail.
How can you expect players to perform to the best of their ability when you send them out at 12.30pm? Absolute joke.”