Jamie Carragher has backed Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's call for five Premier League substitutes, insisting it's "inevitable" the change will be made.
A motion to allow managers the chance to continue making five changes per game was denied in August after the initiative was brought in post-lockdown to help the 2019-20 campaign reach its conclusion.
The original three substitutes rule was reinstated for the start of the new season, but with the calendar shortened by four weeks amid the scheduling issues caused by the coronavirus outbreak, clubs are now finding it more difficult than ever to keep their players fit.
After seeing the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Fabinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson pick up injuries varying in severity, Klopp called for the top flight to start allowing five subs again ahead of a top-of-the-table clash against Leicester on Sunday.
"We need it. For the players, not the clubs. December and January in a normal season is brutal," the Liverpool boss said last week.
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"We know that. But this year, for the Champions League and Europa League clubs, October is like December.
"November is like December. December is still December, then January, then February.
"It’s not about me. It’s not about Liverpool. It’s about player welfare."
The Reds ran out 3-0 winners against the Foxes at Anfield thanks to an own goal from Jonny Evans and headers from Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, but the victory was soured somewhat by Naby Keita limping off in the second half with a hamstring problem.
Carragher can understand why Klopp is reaching the end of his tether over the demands placed on the players in the current climate, and thinks the Premier League will soon be forced into action.
“It’s a big talking point now. I think Jurgen Klopp feels like he’s banging his head against a brick wall," the Liverpool legend told Sky Sports.
"You can see there, it’s the hamstring. You talk about Klopp and the five subs, I think there’s a lot more managers on board now. I think it’s maybe inevitable that it happens in the end. The EFL have gone to five subs.
"I was totally against it at the end of last season, but when you look at how many injuries there’s been in the Premier League this season - the numbers are massively up.
"People question Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola not making three in one game, so why do they want five? I don’t think that’s a reason not to make five subs, I actually think it’s a reason to do five subs.
"What it shows is, it doesn’t mean the managers are gonna make five subs in every game, it’s just that when maybe, Jurgen Klopp thinks they’re out of sight from the opposition, it gives them the opportunity to maybe make two or three subs in the end.
"You saw against Man City, Jurgen only made two subs and Pep only made one because the game was in the balance. They’re not gonna make subs for the sake of it - they need to win the game.
"It gives them the opportunity, when the game is dead, as Liverpool’s was in Atalanta, and you can make them changes in the Champions League - you then make them changes."
