Mikel Arteta pushes Premier League for major squad rule change
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that he is continuing to press the Premier League to increase the number of players allowed in matchday squads ahead of the new season.
Arteta was forced to leave several first-team players out of Arsenal’s Community Shield squad against Manchester City, including Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Martinelli.
The Gunners went on to beat City 3-0 at the Principality Stadium, with Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard getting on the scoresheet.
However, Arteta admitted he was disappointed that some of his players could not be involved. The Arsenal boss wants the Premier League to increase matchday squads from 20 players to 23, giving managers more options on the bench.
Speaking after the Community Shield victory, Arteta said he had been pushing the league to allow more players to be included, insisting that those left out deserved the opportunity to be part of the squad.
Arteta also discussed several new Premier League rules coming into effect, including the ban on using towels to dry the ball during throw-ins.
The Arsenal boss believes the changes could have a noticeable impact on matches, particularly the rules surrounding restarts and time management. However, he said he was interested to see how the new regulations work once the competitive season gets underway.
Arteta ultimately welcomed the changes, saying they are designed to increase playing time and improve the flow of Premier League matches.
