Source:REUTERS/Phil Noble
[Saba Sports News] In the highlight match of the 8th round of the Premier League, Liverpool lost 1-2 to Manchester United at home. According to British media reports, Liverpool repeatedly violated the “multi-ball system rules” during the match and will face a reminder from the Premier League, with both parties set to hold talks. Under the rules introduced in 2022, multiple balls are placed around the pitch, and players must retrieve the balls themselves, while ball attendants are not allowed to hand the balls to players. However, after Harry Maguire gave Manchester United the lead, ball attendants repeatedly threw balls to Liverpool players, helping them strive for an equalizer. Additionally, Liverpool manager Arne Slot threw a ball to a player as the match approached the 90th minute, when Manchester United was very close to securing an unexpected victory. The match also saw two instances of two balls being on the pitch simultaneously. These rules aim to speed up the game but explicitly prohibit their abuse. Last season, Aston Villa violated the multi-ball system rules in at least five matches, resulting in a £125,000 fine and a ban from using the multi-ball system in their first three home matches of this season. Investigations revealed that ball attendants repeatedly handed balls directly to Aston Villa players instead of placing them at the designated cone markers as required. It is understood that Liverpool is not expected to face a similar fine, with the most likely outcome being a reminder of the rules.