Ten major Premier League changes this season including Champions League qualification, winter break and tough new laws

THERE will be huge changes to the Premier League this season, including European qualification and tough new laws.

Prem action returns on Friday night when Treble winners Manchester City head to newly-promoted Burnley.

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With many new things for fans to keep look out for, SunSport run you through the ten big changes.

New team in town

Luton will become the 51st different side to play in the Premier League since it was formed in 1993-94.

New balls please

Players will be kicking around a new ball this season – the Nike Flight has black lines and “splashes of orange” on it.

There will be an extra “multiball” cone stand on the half way line opposite the dug-outs.

Numbers and fonts

This is the fourth redesign of the look of shirts with new a “bolder” font and bigger numbers being used.

There is now a standalone Premier League lion badge on shirt sleeves.

Whistleblowers

Tim Robinson and Darren Bond are new full-time referees following the retirement of Andre Marriner.

Changing times

All stoppages except for bookings must be calculated “exactly” by officials.

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PGMOL chiefs expect to mean an average of just under 12 minutes of additional time per match.

Lay down the law

Two major law changes will be implemented this season.

A player adjudged to be “challenging for the ball” when they “deny an obvious goalscoring opportunity” in the box will he only be yellow carded even if they are not attempting to play the ball.

Fifa and Ifab have also clarified what is now deemed “deliberate play” by defenders which resets the offside line.

Behaviour clampdown

Tough new rules for players and bosses include yellow cards for any time-wasting and automatic bans for three yellow cards for any coach or manager.

Bookings must be handed out if two or more players surround an official.

There is a lower bar for dissent as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta found out in the Community Shield, as he was booked for waving an imaginary card and protesting a decision.

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VAR from over

An extra two VAR cameras at each end will mean the end of “blind spots”.

This should help with tight offside calls and highlight any before missed incidences.

Winter break

The winter break is back, probably for one season only, with a full set of ten fixtures split across two weekends in mid-January to give the players a guaranteed rest.

Fifth Champions League spot

The team that comes fifth should get an automatic seat in the Champions League next season.

But only if England’s teams are in the top two performers across the three Uefa club competitions.

They have been for six of the past seven seasons – last term both the Champions League and Conference League were won by Prem sides Manchester City and West Ham respectively.

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