Brighton star Adam Lallana has become the latest member of a Premier League side to hit out at the top-flight's 'relentless' scheduling of games.
The issue of player welfare has come back to the fore following a spate of injuries across Premier League sides - including to Lallana's former team-mate Naby Keita - which has increased calls for a return to allowing five substitutions, as was the case following the restart last season.
Speaking on the Between The Lines podcast, the former Liverpool midfielder threw his weight behind the argument that an increased number of matches is to blame for the rise in the number of injuries.
He also deemed the current schedule unfair and claimed Premier League stars are drained after being rolled out every three to four days.
'The amount of games you have is relentless, and I think, you know, we're all going through a phase at the minute where there's been an increase in injuries, there's lots of debates happening about whether we should have five subs in the Premier League,' Lallana said.
'The players are the ones that just get 'go on, play another game, play another game in three or four days'.
'I heard Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the other day – they [Manchester United] were in Turkey on the Wednesday [against Istanbul Basaksehir] and then they played on the Saturday at Goodison Park first thing. And I agree with him.
'I don't understand why that needs to happen when it's easy enough for it not to happen, you know, give them the extra day and put it on TV the next day.
'Because the players are the ones that suffer, you know, they're the ones that it feels like they're just getting rolled out every three to four days.
'Especially during this pandemic which brings the added pressures. I don't think it's fair, but who am I to say that?
'It's another talking point isn't it, but we have seen an increase in injuries and there's no coincidence that it's because of the amount of games that are being played. Simple as that.'
Speaking before the international break, Solskjaer said: '12.30pm on a Saturday doesn't help us but that's what the Champions League gives to you. We asked for a Sunday game but there was absolutely no help to get that.'
Roy Hodgson and Nuno Espirito Santo have also raised similar concerns in the past week regarding player welfare.
Crystal Palace boss Hodgson questioned the international schedule ahead of his side's defeat at Burnley, stating: 'Like every manager in the Premier League, we would contest the need for a friendly when there are two Nations League games.
'I'd like to think I would have been sympathetic with people saying to me when I was international manager, "In this period, the way things are, can you restrict it just to the two Nations League games which have got to be played, can you forego a friendly?"
'I'd like to think I'd have said, "Yes, we'll forego the friendly". It hasn't been the case and it does mean a lot of players are coming back at the weekend to play their fourth game within two weeks, and that's not good.
'Particularly for the top teams in our league, who have more games away than teams like ourselves who are closer to the bottom. But we've had nine players away ourselves so even we suffered.'
Wolves boss Nuno also took issue with the scheduling but said a return to five substitutes was not the answer.
'It is always a delicate moment when you return after the break, and this tells us that there is a big problem with the scheduling of fixtures - all these things are being discussed and can be improved,' he said.
'The calendar is tough for everybody. We always work the details into our minds knowing that every aspect is important - it is a question of trying to make your time with the players as useful as possible.
'It is clear the fixture calendar and the schedule are our biggest worries - it's not about the substitutes, it's about the schedule, and this is the problem solved.
'I don't see a direct situation with the substitutes. When a player has issues the best way is not to play him, and this way you can protect him. So he has to be with rotation, not substitution.'
Last week, the EFL voted to increase the quota of substitutes to five, which added to the pressure on the Premier League to make a U-turn.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com