Standing firm: Sheffield United 'suspicious' of top Premier League clubs after 'five subs' call from Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola

Five changes were allowed when football returned after lockdown for the final part of last season but the Premier League clubs voted against its reintroduction for the 2020/21 campaign.

However, after a spate of injuries in recent weeks, two of the top flight’s biggest names spoke out about that decision with Jurgen Klopp saying after Liverpool’s draw with Manchester City on Sunday: "All the teams have to understand why it's so helpful. It's not an advantage, it's a necessity. 100 per cent.

"In all other countries it happens and here we make a bit more fun of the competition by having only three subs. That is really incredible, so we have to talk again.”

His counterpart at City, Pep Guardiola agreed: "All around the world it's five substitutions, but here we believe we are more special people.

"We don't protect the players, and that's why it's a disaster. In this calendar, especially. I will demand, if the people allow, we have to come back to five substitutions. If not, it's difficult to sustain it."

However, United remain vocal opponents, with a senior figure at the club saying they were suspicious of the motives of clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester City.

"The 20 clubs have voted not once but twice to reject five subs," CEO Stephen Bettis said. "The bigger clubs managed to find a way to have the vote held a second time - and again they lost.

"From the comments made this weekend, it suggests they simply will not rest until they get their way. Some of the injuries being talked about have nothing to do with the debate over five subs.

"So far this season clubs playing in Europe have endured a similar workload to clubs in the Championship and we don't hear them complaining, do we?

"Here at Bramall Lane, we have not seen an increase in muscle injuries."

Bettis told Sky Sports: "We remain suspicious that big clubs simply want to be able to sub off players to rest them to keep them fresh. Of course the bigger the club, the stronger the bench. Any change of rules mid-season will clearly affect the integrity of the league."

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Chris Holt, Football Editor