Project Restart: Premier League agree drastic rule change that will affect Brighton

Brighton are all set to restart their Premier League campaign on the weekend of June 20 as top flight clubs gathered again today to discuss Project Restart
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Here's a summary of what decisions were made, what decisions are still pending and how it will impact Albion who are two points above the drop zone with nine matches remaining.

Five substitutions

The league confirmed teams will be able to use up to five substitutes in the remaining games of the 2019-20 season, instead of the usual three. A dispensation has been added to the game's laws, which is designed to alleviate the workload of players thrust back into action following the suspension of competition.

Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter and striker Glenn Murray discuss tactics during a substitution at the Amex StadiumBrighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter and striker Glenn Murray discuss tactics during a substitution at the Amex Stadium
Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter and striker Glenn Murray discuss tactics during a substitution at the Amex Stadium
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Teams will also be able to name nine substitutes for their matchday squad instead of the usual seven.

What the Premier League said

"Premier League Shareholders today agreed temporary changes to the rules relating to substitute players. For the remainder of the 2019/20 season, the number of substitutes that can be used during a match will increase from three to five players.

"This is in line with the temporary law amendment made by the International Football Association Board last month. Shareholders also approved for Clubs to increase the maximum number of substitute players on the bench from seven to nine for the rest of the 2019/20 season."

Neutral territory

It is understood they agreed in principle that matches could be played at neutral venues where necessary. This could be for safety reasons, or if a stadium is unavailable due to the imposition of a localised lockdown. Currently five games have been earmarked to be moved at the request of local police forces, according to the UK's football policing lead.

Brighton fixtures were not thought to be among the five.

Curtailment

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Clubs decided not to agree on a framework for what would happen in the event of the season being cut short, for instance if there was a second wave of coronavirus infections which necessitated the reintroduction of tighter restrictions.

It is understood clubs felt there is sufficient momentum behind Project Restart, with only a tiny fraction of coronavirus tests among the Premier League clubs coming back positive so far. They would rather look at it again only if cutting the season short looks like a reasonable step to take.

Arguments over how best to curtail the season are unlikely to change. The only thing that might change is which clubs adopt which argument, and that is likely to be almost solely dependent on how the league table looks at the point when the season might be cut short.

You could argue though that it would have been helpful to all teams to go into the competition with some certainty on the issue, which Championship clubs appear set to do with an EFL vote on curtailment coming next week.

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The Government's guidelines for elite sport's return to action state that there should be an "agreed procedure" in place for cancelling a competition before it restarts.

Have fixtures been confirmed?

An update on 2019-20 fixtures and which broadcaster will screen particular games could come within the next 24 hours. All 92 matches will be televised, with 33 of them being made available free to air.

Any other business?

The draft protocols for returning to play, and for match day operations, were discussed at Thursday's meeting but the consultation will continue. These protocols - which cover in detail how a match behind closed doors should proceed - must be finalised and signed off before June 17. It is unclear yet as to whether these will be made public at any stage.

Project Restart schedule

Weekend matches: Friday: 8pm, Saturday: 12:30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 8pm, Sunday: 12pm, 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm, Monday: 8pm

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Midweek matches: Tuesday: 6pm and 8pm, Wednesday: 6pm and 8pm, Thursday: 6pm and 8pm

June 17: Manchester City vs Arsenal, Aston Villa vs Sheffield United

Matchweek 30: Aston Villa vs Chelsea, Bournemouth vs Palace, Brighton vs Arsenal, Everton vs Liverpool, Manchester City vs Burnley, Newcastle vs Sheffield United, Norwich vs Southampton, Tottenham vs Manchester United, Watford vs Leicester, West Ham vs Wolves

Matchweek 31: Burnley vs Watford, Chelsea vs Manchester City, Leicester vs Brighton, Liverpool vs Crystal Palace, Manchester United vs Sheffield United, Newcastle vs Aston Villa, Southampton vs Arsenal, Tottenham vs West Ham, Wolves vs Bournemouth

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Matchweek 32: Arsenal vs Norwich, Aston Villa vs Wolves, Bournemouth vs Newcastle, Brighton vs Manchester United, Crystal Palace vs Burnley, Everton vs Leicester, Manchester City vs Liverpool, Sheffield United vs Tottenham, Watford vs Southampton, West Ham vs Chelsea

Matchweek 33: Burnley vs Sheffield United, Chelsea vs Watford, Leicester vs Crystal Palace, Liverpool vs Aston Villa, Manchester United vs Bournemouth, Newcastle vs West Ham, Norwich vs Brighton, Southampton vs Manchester City, Tottenham vs Everton, Wolves vs Arsenal

Matchweek 34: Arsenal vs Leicester, Aston Villa vs Manchester United, Bournemouth vs Tottenham, Brighton vs Liverpool, Crystal Palace vs Chelsea, Everton vs Southampton, Manchester City vs Newcastle, Sheffield United vs Wolves, Watford vs Norwich, West Ham vs Burnley

Matchweek 35: Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace, Bournemouth vs Leicester, Brighton vs Manchester City​, Liverpool vs Burnley, Manchester United vs Southampton, Norwich vs West Ham, Sheffield United vs Chelsea, Tottenham vs Arsenal, Watford vs Newcastle, Wolves vs Everton

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Matchweek 36: Arsenal vs Liverpool, Burnley vs Wolves, Chelsea vs Norwich, Crystal Palace vs Manchester United, Everton vs Aston Villa, Leicester City vs Sheffield United, Manchester City vs Bournemouth, Newcastle vs Tottenham, Southampton vs Brighton, West Ham vs Watford

Matchweek 37: Aston Villa vs Arsenal, Bournemouth vs Southampton, Brighton vs Newcastle, Liverpool vs Chelsea, Manchester United vs West Ham, Norwich vs Burnley, Sheffield United vs Everton, Tottenham vs Leicester City, Watford vs Manchester City, Wolves vs Crystal Palace

Matchweek 38: Arsenal vs Watford, Burnley vs Brighton, Chelsea vs Wolves, Crystal Palace vs Tottenham, Everton vs Bournemouth, Leicester City vs Manchester United, Manchester City vs Norwich City, Newcastle United vs Liverpool, Southampton vs Sheffield United, West Ham vs Aston Villa

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