Everton’s Anthony Gordon has been tipped to benefit from a change in Premier League rules once the season returns next week.
Following the announcement in late May that the Premier League was set to return on 17th June, there was a change in the rules regarding substitutes.
Last week, clubs in the top flight approved a new rule until the end of the season that will see sides permitted to make five substitutes in a single match and have nine players on the bench (per BBC).
The change has been made to help protect player welfare upon the resumption of the season.
On the Liverpool Echo’s Everton-focused Royal Blue podcast, there was a discussion over which player may benefit the most from the upped number of named substitutes in a match.
One of the pundits, Gavin Buckland, believed that young English attacker Gordon would be the one to benefit the most.
He said: “I think generally, especially given our position in the league, it gives us the opportunity to see some players perhaps who would not really get game time.
“You have to say Anthony Gordon would be in there, I would think, for an opportunity. But, it will just be interesting to see how Carlo [Ancelotti] uses the last nine games of the season.”
TIF Thoughts…
So far this season, Gordon has made just two Premier League appearances for the Toffees, both of which were as a substitute (per WhoScored).
During those games, Gordon did not massively impress, having picked up a 6.25/10 average rating, which has left him as the Toffees’ second-worst performer in the league.
Do you think Anthony Gordon will get more game time due to the Premier League's rule change?Yes, will be good for him
No, won't help him
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However, the fact that the attacker managed to perform an average of 1 dribble per game over the two outings, which is the joint-sixth-strongest figure in the squad, may bode well.
Furthermore, with the 19-year-old having made it onto the first-team bench on five occasions in the Premier League this season without being brought on (per Transfermarkt), Buckland may be right to suggest that the rule change could benefit the youngster.