It’s not everyday we find ourselves applauding the powers that be at the FA for exercising a bit of common sense.
Today though might just be one of those days.
Now that we’re firmly at the business end of the season, the last thing some team managers want is an extra game of football to clutter up their schedule. With that in mind, you might have missed that the FA have introduced a new rule this season which stipulates that there will be no replays for any FA Cup game from the quarter final stage onwards.
All of the three quarter finals played so far have been settled in normal time, but with table-topping Chelsea meeting Cup holders Manchester United on Monday night, there’s perhaps a good chance that both sides will still be level at the end of 90 minutes. If that is the case, the game will go to extra time and, if the extra 30 minutes fails to settle things, a penalty shootout.
This isn’t the only new rule to have been brought in, either. If the game does go to extra time, each team will be permitted to make a fourth substitution.
