Advertisement

Gary Neville suggests radical Premier League rule change that would impact Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs

Gary Neville takes part in a Football League panel during the Labour Party Conference 2024 at ACC Liverpool.
-Credit: (Image: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)


Former Premier League defender turned pundit Gary Neville has suggested a major shake-up of how points are awarded in the league, which would have a major impact at the end of the season.

The former Manchester United man has suggested a way that teams could still be separated even if the game ends in a draw. The suggested new rule would therefore have come into effect for Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Man City at the weekend.

Speaking on The Overlap podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Neville was among the pundits discussing changes that could be made to football. He said: "At the end of (drawn) league games (I'd introduce) penalties for an extra point, So you get two points (if you win the shoot-out).

“Make it exciting for a fan that comes. If a kid goes to a game for the first time or it might be their only game this season, and sees a 0-0 or 1-1 draw, there would be a winner at least. Kids love penalties, my girls (would) love penalties at the end.”

Fellow pundit Roy Keane wasn’t too keen on the idea suggesting that it was Americanised. But the rule is actually in place in English football already.

In the group stages of the EFL Trophy, a competition that Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham U21s are involved in, if a game ends in a draw, a penalty shootout takes place with the winning team earning a bonus point. Tottenham’s development squad earned one of those bonus points after a 3-3 draw with Bristol Rovers just last week.

READ MORE: When is the Carabao Cup fourth round draw? Arsenal and Chelsea in action as Spurs watch on

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola launches new Man City defence as clubs ‘circle’ amid 115 charges hearing

Any introduction of a rule similar could have a massive impact on the league at both ends of the table. The extra points could make the difference in both the title race and the relegation fight; it would also likely alter teams' tactics, with some likely to hold out for a draw with the hope of getting the bonus point from the penalty shootout.