What's new for the 2022/23 Premier League season?
There have been some changes confirmed by the Premier League, ahead of the 2022/23 season.
The Reds kick off our campaign with Sunday's home match with Brighton & Hove Albion (14:00 BST kick-off), in Erik ten Hag's first competitive fixture in charge.
We know the dugouts have been switched at Old Trafford, meaning Erik and his staff will be closer to the Stretford End and tunnel, but what other things will be different about the upcoming season?
Debate: Four pundits, four line-ups
Our quartet of Debate panellists pick who they think will start against Brighton on Sunday…
The Premier League has announced some things to look out for:
FIVE SUBSTITUTES
Managers can now make five substitutions after this was raised from three, with agreement reached on the subject at a summer meeting between the clubs.
The changes can be made on three occasions during a match, with an additional opportunity at half-time.
A total of nine subs can be named on the bench, up from seven in 2021/22.
MULTIBALL SYSTEM
In an attempt to cut down on time-wasting, this system will be reintroduced after being used when games were behind closed doors. A total of 10 balls will be used, one on the pitch, one with the fourth official and another eight positioned around the perimeter of the pitch. The idea is to keep the game flowing and limit delays in restarting the action.
NEW MATCH OFFICIALS
Four new officials have been promoted by PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited).
Tom Bramall, Natalie Aspinall, Nick Greenhalgh and Steve Meredith are the fresh faces. Remember the likes of Mike Dean, Kevin Friend, Jon Moss and Martin Atkinson have new roles and will not be refereeing Premier League fixtures.
👏🏻 Natalie Aspinall, Nick Greenhalgh and Steve Meredith will be joining Tom in the Premier League for the new campaign, following their promotions as assistant referees. pic.twitter.com/0kPA3KnzLh
— PGMOL (@FA_PGMOL) June 7, 2022
PENALTY RULE CHANGE
The goalkeeper's position for a penalty kick has been amended in the IFAB Laws of the Game.
When the ball is kicked, the keeper must have at least part of one foot touching, or in line with, or behind the goalline. The law still requires a keeper to have at least part of one foot on or above the line until the moment the spot-kick is taken. Therefore, the keeper may not stand behind, or in front of, the goalline.
MATCH POSTPONEMENTS
The guidance has been revised if a club has an insufficient number of players. Club requests to the board will continue to be considered on their facts and assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Approval will only be granted where the impact of player unavailability on a club's squad is "truly exceptional and where the club concerned have taken all reasonable steps to avoid the necessity to make the application".
CHANGE TO OFFSIDE
IFAB has clarified the offside rule and explained what constitutes defending players "deliberately playing" the ball.
Now, an offside player will not automatically become onside upon a defender touching the ball. The guideline states: "Deliberate play is when a player has control of the ball with the possibility of passing the ball to a team-mate, gaining possession of the ball, or clearing the ball. If the pass, attempt to gain possession or clearance by the player in control of the ball is inaccurate or unsuccessful, this does not negate the fact that the player deliberately played the ball."
NO ROOM FOR RACISM
The club captains have decided to use specific moments during the campaign to take the knee, rather than before every game. This will include during the opening round of the season this weekend.
It will also occur during the 'No Room for Racism' match rounds in October and March, Boxing Day fixtures and the final day of the campaign.
NEW OPPONENTS
There are also, of course, more obvious things to be aware of this term.
Nottingham Forest are back in the top flight for the first time this century, and are likely to have United loanee Dean Henderson in goal. Bournemouth and Fulham are the other two newly promoted sides.
SEASON INTERRUPTION
Obviously, the biggest change is the pause in the Premier League programme due to the World Cup taking place this winter in Qatar. The domestic top-flight season stops on 12/13 November and resumes on Boxing Day (26 December).