New referee guidance set to impact games involving Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and co
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According to the PA news agency, the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) is ‘committed’ to making the EFL ‘a better product’ and has issued updated guidance to officials to help them achieve this aim.
Referees have been advised to increase their threshold on fouls, clamp down on time wasting by players and to ensure that player behaviour ‘does not overstep the mark’.
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Hide AdClamping down on time wasting is a particularly hot issue for referees this season as figures show that, on average, games last season saw less playing time than ever before.
Furthermore, teams will once again be allowed to use five substitutes but VAR will again not be in operation in the Championship, despite its implementation during last season’s playoff finals.
Sunderland kick-off their season with a home game against Coventry City at noon on Sunday, July 31.