The key issues affecting Sheffield United that Premier League clubs will discuss at AGM today

Sheffield United will join the other 19 top-flight clubs at the Premier League AGM today - and the first get-together of the 2020/21 season will see a number of items on the agenda.
Billy Sharp scored the winner in March's win over Norwich City - Sheffield United's last outing before lockdown: Simon Bellis/SportimageBilly Sharp scored the winner in March's win over Norwich City - Sheffield United's last outing before lockdown: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Billy Sharp scored the winner in March's win over Norwich City - Sheffield United's last outing before lockdown: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

What happens if the season is suspended again?

This year's events were unprecedented in football, with the Premier League and EFL both suspended in March as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold. Nothing in the rulebook covered such a situation, and many leagues across Europe dealt with it in different ways. Leagues One and Two in England were decided on points-per-game, while the Eredivisie was cancelled completely and no champion was crowned, with no club being relegated either. The clubs will discuss what to do if such a situation occurs in the future.

Five subs here to stay?

Clubs will also debate whether to keep the rule allowing five substitutions to be used in a match, after IFAB revealed that leagues would be allowed to incorporate it if they wished.

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Originally brought in for the second part of the 2019/20 season, ostensibly to prevent injury for players returning to action after lockdown, clubs - including United - feel it unfairly favours the more powerful clubs in the division, who boast more strength-in-depth in their 25-man squads.

Manchester United made five substitutions at once against the Blades, whole Chris Wilder's men couldn't fill their bench on more than one occasion after lockdown ended.

The BBC reports that "a proposal [is] likely to be submitted in the next few weeks for pre-season friendlies to be included as pilot events" while the meeting is expected to provide an update on the return of spectators to grounds, for the first time since March.

Last week, a surge in coronavirus cases saw plans to let fans into some pilot events - including Sheffield's World Snooker Championships - scrapped. No more will take place until next week, at the earliest.

VAR

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Everyone's favourite topic will also be on the menu, after FIFA took over control from IFAB in July. That's likely to see a change in how the Premier League uses VAR, including an expected clamp-down on goalkeepers encroaching on penalties - which previously went largely unpunished in the top-flight.

But FIFA want VAR to be applied in the same way across all major leagues, so expect to see more referees consult pitch-side monitors next season.

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