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The Premier League was the only major competition to abandon the rule because some clubs felt it gave those with bigger squads an unfair advantage. The International Football Associations Board (IFAB) has agreed to make permanent the temporary revision to Law Three of the sport, which allowed teams to make up to five substitutions per game. This was initially introduced as a temporary measure until December 2022 to ensure that player fitness could be more carefully managed during the condensed schedule of last summer. It works by using 10 dedicated cameras, as well as several television cameras, which collect up to 29 data points for every player 50 times per second. Bret Myers has tested it against 1,800 fixtures across England, Germany Spain and Italy and believes that if a team is behind, it is vital for the manager to make his first substitution before the 58th minute.

The referees and the assistant referees are still responsible for the decision on the field of play.

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Nothing can match Solskjær’s memorable substitute appearance that night in Barcelona. Although, three months earlier, he also did something that has never been emulated since. United were coasting to victory against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground when Solskjær came on for Dwight Yorke in the 71st minute. United were already 4-1 up but Solskjær showed no mercy, scoring four goals in 11 minutes – the most by a substitute in the Premier League. So what impact has five substitutes had on Scottish football - and the destination of silverware and relegation disappointment?

There were games when we were two or three up but Bob didn't even think of bringing me on. It was cowardly. He knew the senior players didn't want to come off. They'd give him trouble but he knew I wouldn't give him any hassle."

The issue would need to be raised before a Premier League shareholders meeting, then voted upon by clubs. And, as things stand, there is no meeting scheduled. In addition, the Premier League will remove twice-weekly testing of players and staff from 4 April and move to symptomatic testing only. When it first came in, I thought 'why?' I didn't agree with it at the time, but now it's just become the norm. There's two sides to it - I think it definitely benefits a bigger club with a bigger squad and more strength in depth. You can basically use near enough your whole squad on the bench. Ifab's agenda also includes discussing concussion substitutes and semi-automated offside technology.

Judging from statistics supplied by Opta for Scotland's top flight, it is perhaps too early to say whether the five-substitute rule can decide the title race. Friday's Championship fixture between Coventry and Birmingham will be the first match under the new rules. Ifab says the substitutions can be made on three occasions during a match, excluding any changes at half-time, while a potential sixth change can be made if a match goes to extra time.

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At United, Sir Alex Ferguson found in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a player who thrived coming into a match as the opposition defenders grew weary and space opened up. He has since found another. The lowest amount of goals scored by substitutes in a campaign in the past 18 top-flight seasons was 49 in 2008-09 (9% of all goals) and 2018-19 (8% of all goals). Second-tier clubs can name up to nine substitutes in matchday squads, while League One and League Two clubs will be allowed seven. This season's champions, Celtic, had the most goals by substitutes with 24 (21% of their 114 total), followed by runners-up Rangers with 14 (15%) then fourth-placed Heart of Midlothian (16%) and St Johnstone (24%), both with 10. Against Spurs, Dzeko came off the bench to win the game for City with a key pass and a goal in the 17 minutes he was on the field. The Bosnia striker has more goals than Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez this season and yet both have more starts. But in the three league matches Dzeko has started, he has scored just one goal and City have won only one of those matches.