In a rather surprising twist, the Premier League is set to enable a monumental rule change, one which fans, players and coaches alike have been clamoring for. According to The Times, the Premier League will institute a new rule in the 2022-23 season that will enable clubs to make as many as five substitutions.

This is something that the larger clubs in the Premier League have long been pushing for, but smaller clubs were opposed to the idea, suggesting it would create an unfair advantage. The argument was that the larger clubs, who have more spending power and more quality depth on the roster, would be given an edge with the new rule.

The rule change has been pushed for by top clubs for the past few years but had never been approved. A vote will take place in London on Thursday, at which point the rule change is finally expected to be pushed forth.

The benefits of the additional substitutes are clear. Having the ability to bring on five players rather than three will open up the game tactically for clubs, particularly in the second half, and will also (hopefully) lead to a reduction in the number of injuries sustained by players. With more players available at a manager's disposal, fewer players will be tasked with playing the full 90 minutes of a game, which will certainly help reduce fatigue.

With the World Cup coming up this winter, the rule change makes perfect sense. Because the tournament in Qatar is set to take place during the 2022-23 Premier League season, the need for additional substitutes will be even greater as many teams will have key players absent.