The 2023/24 Premier League season has begun, and newfound hope for some is not the only thing new for the English top flight.
Last season was a forgettable one for Liverpool in the league, with a fifth-place result ending their Champions League run of six years.
Jurgen Klopp’s team needs to bounce back, and they have new teams and managers to deal with, as well as rule changes that we should all be aware of.
The promoted three
Burnley and Sheffield United are back in the Premier League following one and two seasons in the Championship, respectively.
Meanwhile, Luton Town won the play-off final and will play in the Premier League for the first time in their history; they were last in the First Division in 1991/92, the season before the Premier League was formed.
By Boxing Day, the Reds will have faced each of them once.
Fifth place in the Champions League?
The top four have long been the goal for reaching the Champions League, but there is now a chance that five Premier League teams might qualify.
Following revisions to the format of Europe’s premier competition for 2024/25, an additional place will be granted to two countries whose clubs play the best in UEFA competitions this season.
So, if Europe’s three cup competitions continue to be successful this season, fifth place will earn a place in the Champions League.
The Premier League has done enough to secure this position in seven of the last 11 seasons, but will they do so in the season that matters?
Managers that are new to the job
Klopp is the Premier League’s longest-serving manager, but he will be joined by a few others who have yet to take command in the English top division.
Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham), Vincent Kompany (Burnley), Rob Edwards (Luton) and Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth) are all about to make their debuts, and you have to wonder if Postecoglou realizes what he signed up for!
Mauricio Pochettino has previously managed in the Premier League, but he is back and must appease those at Chelsea.
New ball, new year
It is orange and circular, and it will be seen on the pitch throughout the season.
This is Nike’s 24th season as the official ball provider, and the AerowSculpt technology is back for the fourth year in a row, promising to “improve consistency and provide a truer flight.”
Hopefully, every opposing goalkeeper will become all too familiar with the new ball as they pluck it out of the Reds’ net!
More added time
When assistant referees hold up the board to mark any stoppage time, it always seems as if they pull a number out of thin air. Throw up three minutes when in doubt!
In order to reduce time-wasting in football, the IFAB and the PGMOL have agreed on new laws that will allow games to last longer.
The World Cup in Qatar took it to the extreme, with up to ten minutes of extra time, and don’t be surprised if the same happens here.
New efforts to combat tragedy abuse
The Premier League and Football Association have proposed ‘strong new measures’ to combat ugly chanting about disasters such as Hillsborough, which has become all too common.
Offenses such as yelling, gesturing, and exhibiting offensive slogans may result in stadium bans and criminal prosecution.
It is all about timing and getting a good start.
Excessive leniency
The inconsistency between one refereeing performance and the next may continue since officials have been instructed to keep the game flowing as much as possible by adopting a higher foul threshold.
Officials may call fouls if contact has a negative impact on an opponent, but this may simply promote diving as teams continue to look for ways to disrupt play.
Referee harassment and technical area
Last season, Klopp watched two games from the stands and admitted his conduct toward the referees were incorrect, and there is a greater emphasis on policing behavior toward officials.
If match officials are attacked or encircled by players, at least one will earn a card, and further action against the club may be taken; also, any dissent or unsportsmanlike behavior will be chastised.
Only one official may stand in the technical area and coach. For Liverpool, this would imply that Klopp and Pep Lijnders should have their discussions on the bench rather than on the sidelines.
At half-time or full-time, no member of the technical area may confront any match official or utilize technology to protest a judgment.
