One factor that affected the last campaign was the World Cup, which halted domestic competition for around six weeks from mid-November and meant the final games of the season (Scottish Cup final and Premiership play-off finals) took place in early June. 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. In terms of concussion substitutes and semi-automated offside technology, they will only be discussion points during the Ifab meeting in Doha.

Ifab's agenda also includes discussing concussion substitutes and semi-automated offside technology. Scotland were the opponents for the first ever use of a substitute in international football, when Wales' original goalkeeper failed to arrive in 1889. In light of these high-profile casualties, the FA eventually agreed to experiment with the idea of substitutions. It was begrudging acceptance, as the FA News reported at the time: “The general consensus of opinion would appear to be that, in principle, the use of substitutes in competitive football was not desirable.” 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.

Teams used five or more subs in a game 176 times in the season just finished - up from 48 in the previous campaign and 70 in 2020-21. The days of managers sweating over how to use their third substitution could soon be a thing of the past. Instead it will be how they deploy their fourth and fifth options from the bench that will cause them sleepless nights after football's lawmakers today decided to make permanent a change to its laws initially introduced after the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been found that teams are roughly 40 to 45 per cent successful when following the rule and 18 to 22 per cent when not," Myers writes. Five players come on for Manchester United in the 80th minute of their match against Sheffield United. Photograph: Michael Steele/AFP/Getty Images Nothing changed for the 2021-22 season, although five substitutes are allowed in FA Cup matches, and in October football law-makers the International Football Association Board recommended that five substitutions be implemented permanently in the sport.

Five substitutes were introduced across the game in May 2020 after the shutdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. While other countries introduced substitutions in their domestic leagues in the 1950s, the FA dragged their heels, to the serious detriment of some clubs and players. Roy Dwight – who is perhaps better known as Elton John’s cousin – opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest against Luton in the 1959 FA Cup final before breaking his leg in the 33rd minute. Forest were 2-0 up when Dwight went off and they just about held on, winning the final 2-1. The pandemic changed all that in 2020, though. In a move to reduce the impact of fixture congestion caused by Covid-19, world governing body Fifa allowed competition organisers to allow for a maximum of five substitutes. Jose Mourinho carved out a reputation for bold decisions during his first season at Chelsea, making 12 double-substitutions and 14 half-time changes on the way to winning the title.Substitutes in association football have been around since the nineteenth century - but only initially for players who failed to turn up! It is a different game now," Fairclough added. "You have 18-man squads, but it was lonelier in the past. You were the only substitute, with 11 others all going out to play. Now there are six other lads getting changed next to you feeling the same way. A Premier League statement said: "The wellbeing of players and staff remains a priority and the Premier League will continue to monitor the national Covid-19 situation and adapt league-wide protocols as required, in line with the latest guidance from public health authorities and medical experts." It will now implemented prior to the 2022-23 season at the discretion of the organisers of a competition. The Scottish Premiership returned to three at the start of the 2021-22, but that was reversed mid-season, with teams able to name up to nine players on their benches, amid concerns over isolation measures.

Not surprisingly, goals by substitutes have reached a new high of 100 (15% of all Premiership goals scored). However, Rangers also finished second behind their city rivals the previous season despite their substitutes having the greatest impact with 15 goals overall (19%) ahead of Celtic. Eight goals off the bench for Ange Postecoglou's side was a mere 9% of their total and only the seventh most potent in the division.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 Premier League was the only major competition to abandon the rule because some clubs felt it gave those with bigger squads an unfair advantage. Another first occurred on that opening day of the 1965-66 season when Barrow substitute Bobby Knox scored against Wrexham. Later in the season Knox came on to play as stand-in goalkeeper against Doncaster Rovers and became the first sub to save a penalty. As they could only be used to replace injured players, substitutions were something of a novelty. West Brom, for example, first made a substitution on September 10 but not again until November 27 and used their substitute in only seven of their 42 league games. Their experience was not atypical. 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.