MX23RW : Saturday, April 20 09:15:21| >> :120:49219:49219:

Mark Robins: 'Change of substitution rule benefits bigger clubs'

Mark Robins: 'Change of substitution rule benefits bigger clubs'
© Reuters
The new regulations come into force in time for the Sky Blues' match against Birmingham on Friday night.

Coventry boss Mark Robins believes the Sky Bet Championship's bigger clubs will reap the benefits of the new five substitutes rule.

Under the new regulations – which come into force in time for the Sky Blues' match against Birmingham on Friday night – teams in the Sky Bet Championship will be able to make five changes from a pool of nine substitutes.

EFL clubs voted to increase the permitted number to combat player fatigue, and Robins told Coventry's website: "The rule benefits the bigger squads and the bigger clubs without a shadow of a doubt, but it gives us another tool, we can work with it and try and make the best of it.

"How people are going to use it remains to be seen.

"It was brought in because of fatigue to players so you can take players off if they're really struggling, but you've got to have players who can come on and strengthen your team which is where it favours the bigger squads and bigger clubs."

Coventry will still be without striker Matt Godden when they host their landlords at St Andrew's as he nurses a foot injury sustained against Nottingham Forest earlier this month.

Midfielder Jordan Shipley is available after a period of self-isolation but Fankaty Dabo is a doubt after lower back and hamstring issues.

Birmingham boss Aitor Karanka agreed with his counterpart.

He told the Birmingham Mail: "I think the more quality you have the more chances you have to put good players on the pitch.

"But it is true for the teams who can't afford more than 16/17 players it isn't going to be bad because you can rest five players in the last few minutes to defend and you can rest those other five for the following game."

Blues are boosted by the return of George Friend and Kristian Pedersen for the match.

The defensive duo missed the defeat to Bournemouth last time out, with Pedersen taking a knock to his head and Friend struggling with a calf problem.

Chelsea loanee Jake Clarke-Salter is available for the first time.

ID:422893: cacheID:422893:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3150:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
New Watford boss Vladimir Ivic on September 11, 2020
Read Next:
Vladimir Ivic: 'Watford must concentrate better'
>
Read more about Mark Robins Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
2Leicester CityLeicester422841079384188
3Leeds UnitedLeeds43269876344287
4Southampton42259884543084
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4320121166422472
6Norwich CityNorwich432181476601671
7Hull City421811136254865
8Coventry CityCoventry4217121366521463
9Middlesbrough43189166156563
10Preston North EndPreston43189165660-463
11Cardiff CityCardiff43185204860-1259
12Bristol City431610175046458
13Sunderland43168195250256
14Swansea CitySwansea431411185362-953
15Watford431216155958152
16Millwall431311194255-1350
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn431310205771-1449
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth431212195866-848
19Queens Park RangersQPR431211204057-1747
20Stoke CityStoke431211204160-1947
21Birmingham CityBirmingham43129224864-1645
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield43917174770-2344
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds43128233667-3144
RRotherham UnitedRotherham43411283285-5323


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!