Premier League introduce FOUR new rules with bizarre change that will impact Manchester United

The Premier League is set to introduce four new rules for 2024/25, one of which is rather bizarre and will impact Manchester United later in the season.

Each season, the Premier League introduce new sets of rules that Manchester United will have to make themselves aware of before the start of each campaign in August.

Erik ten Hag‘s men finished 8th in the table in 2023/24, the lowest final position United has suffered since the competition’s inception in 1992. Although their poor form deserved their poor finish, they also suffered from their fair share of VAR errors, which will hopefully be fixed for next season.

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Below, we explain four key rules that the Premier League are set to introduce for the 2024/25 campaign.

#1 – Changes to VAR

Next season will see six improvements made to the way that VAR is operated. Earlier month, Wolves tabled a vote to scrap the technology during an annual meeting between all clubs, and although it was ultimately decided that VAR would continue, it was acknowledged that changes must be made.

A statement made in June promised to improve six key areas. A high threshold will be maintained for VAR intervention, and delays to the game will be reduced. Communications with fans will also be improved, with in-stadium announcements from officials, more big-screen replays, and expanded communications campaigns all promised.

More training will now be given to those operating the technology, while the Premier League and PGMOL have said they will continue to lobby IFAB to allow greater flexibility in the Laws of the Game to allow live video and audio broadcast during VAR reviews.

#2 – Semi-automatic offsides

The second rule change will allow the introduction of semi-automatic offside technology in the Premier League, starting in the Autumn.

Although the technology will not be available immediately, the Premier League have said they hope it “will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking.”

Reports have suggested that this new technology could cut offside decisions by an average of 31 seconds. It has been repeatedly used in the Champions League and across major international tournaments such as the World Cup and European Championships.

#3 – No embargoes on team news

From the start of the 2024/25 season, the Premier League have lifted the embargo that states matchday starting XIs and substitute benches have to be released exactly one hour ahead of kick-off.

In accordance with European competitions, team news on the day of a game will now be available 75 minutes before kick-off.

#4 – Winter break scrapped

This one is rather bizarre. The Premier League have decided that, like the Serie A, there will be no winter break for the 2024/25 league season. Originally introduced during the 2019/20 season, the winter break allowed teams to recover from an intensive first half of the season.

It was especially helpful for teams playing in European competitions to recover from their high volume of games, but it has now been decided that the coming season will commence without one scheduled.

According to the FA, the change is justified because clubs will “be better able to ensure that players get a consecutive three-week break in the summer” following the 2024 Copa America and European Championship tournament.

With teams in European competitions now playing even more fixtures in the first half of the season – eight instead of six – getting rid of the winter break will certainly affect Manchester United. Ten Hag will have to be very wary of his players playing too many minutes.