Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has backed Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel in calling for five substitutes to be reintroduced into the Premier League

However, the Reds boss feels that other top-flight teams don’t see the benefits and he believes that the key change won’t be implemented any time soon:

“The best league in the world, and the most intense league in the world, is the only league in Europe – and maybe the world, I don’t know – still with three subs. And that’s not right. We came through until now, but I still think we have to talk about it, we should change it.”

“But it’s for the Premier League, which as Thomas [Tuchel] said he would like to make this decision by himself, but he can’t, because you need a vote and this vote is other clubs which have other problems, different problems, say ‘no, we don’t want to have five subs’. So I don’t see a real chance to change it, to be honest.”

Players are basically being used as pawns in this debate. Tuchel and Klopp are advocating for more subs as they look to protect them from burnout.

However, clubs further down the league are keen to keep things the way they are as they feel it would give bigger teams with bigger squads a big advantage when playing against them.

With 14 Premier League sides needed to vote in favour, Klopp is right to be pessimistic about the prospects of change, despite the fact that players are being asked to play to breaking point.

A winter break this season would have helped alleviate the burden but, with so many matches postponed over Christmas, it’s almost certain that games will be played during that period too. It appears like things will only get worse in the coming weeks.