Patrick Vieira has said he is firmly against the proposals to make five substitutions in the Premier League a permanent fixture going forward.
Patrick Vieira said “I think when you look at changes in the game that improve the game, I don’t think having five changes will be fair in every single team. When you’re looking at the squads from the top six or seven teams compared to the rest of the league, I don’t think this is fair to have the five substitutes. So, for me, I’m strongly against it. This is my opinion as a manager of Crystal Palace. If I was a manager in a different team that may change, but I don’t think that it improves the fairness of the game.”
Tomorrow Vieira will take his side up to the Etihad to take on Premier League champions Manchester City, who are one of the sides that have historically been in favour of the five substitution rule becoming permanent. Crystal Palace will have a hard task if they want to walk away from the match with a result, with Vieira saying that his side needs to show character in their performance if they are to do so.
Patrick Vieira said “We will give ourselves the best chance to be difficult for them. You look at teams going to the Etihad and all staying at the back and conceding goals, or all defending higher and conceding goals. This is the strength of this team. But we have to go there and play with personality and we will see what will happen but we don’t want to hide we want to perform and try to perform as best as we can.”
The English top-flight played with the idea during Project Restart, but while most other top leagues in Europe kept the change for the 2020/21 season and beyond, the Premier League did not. Last season all 20 clubs voted on the matter several times, with Crystal Palace one of the sides who regularly vetoed the idea when it was discussed. That conversation has started up again now, with reports this week suggesting the rule could become permanent across football soon. Former Palace manager Roy Hodgson was a vocal opponent the idea last season, and Vieira has now echoed his predecessor’s comments with his thoughts on the matter.
