Pep Guardiola reveals full-time discussion with Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss rages over Alexander-Arnold injury
PEP GUARDIOLA says his full-time talk with Jurgen Klopp was about the need to bring back the five subs rule.
Manchester City and Liverpool played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Etihad on Sunday, with both sides awarded penalties.
But the game was overshadowed by an injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold, ruling him out of England’s upcoming internationals.
And it appears both managers agreed at the final whistle that the Premier League needs to reintroduce five substitutions instead of three.
The change was made for the restart in July after football returned during the coronavirus pandemic.
But it was scrapped before the start of the new season despite the new heavy workload, with most clubs playing a game every three or four days.
Guardiola explained: "We talked about five substitutions. If people want to give microphones so we can give our opinions...
"There are many guys with many, many cases. Around the world five subs are key, but here it's totally the opposite. We've talked about this many times.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold, international English player, now injured. Here we believe we are more special, we don’t protect the players, so that is why it is a disaster.
“I don't understand how the Premier League don't understand the situation. Maybe it is because this league likes to be different.
“All the other leagues protect the players with five. Today it was the right-back for that reason, tomorrow it will be other players.
“The previous season finished later and the situation is exceptional. All the other leagues understand.”
Counterpart Klopp raged: "Unfortunately Trent has something in the calf. We don't know yet but that is absolutely not cool. We have to talk again about the five subs.
“If still the 14 teams say they don’t want it, then at least let us sub five times when the top six play each other. I have no idea if that’s possible but we have to find solutions.
“Trent will be out for England. We don’t know what he has but he cannot play for England. He won’t be the last one or only one Gareth [Southgate] will miss for this international break.
“It’s a lack of leadership. Richard Masters sold it completely wrong, that’s my understanding. The teams had to understand why it’s so helpful. It’s not an advantage, it’s a necessity. It’s in all other countries, it happens.”