Liverpool could face further suspensions after change to disciplinary rules
It very quickly became apparent to watchers of Arsenal's Community Shield clash with Manchester City earlier this month that the Premier League would have a different feel to it this season.
This fixture marked the start of changes instructed by the game's lawmakers to stamp out time-wasting, increase ball-in-play time and eradicate ill-treatment suffered by match officials. A major focus has been placed on verbal abuse directed at referees, linesmen and fourth officials after fines totalling more than £1million were handed out to Premier League clubs for surrounding officials and mass confrontations.
Looking to address such issues head on, it was decided players would now be booked for unsatisfactory behaviour such as gesturing for a yellow card and sprinting toward and/or surrounding the referee. In a bid to eliminate time-wasting, meanwhile, goalkeepers or any outfield player seen to be deploying such tactics will now immediately be booked as opposed to receiving an initial warning.
Mikel Arteta felt the full force of this law change 17 minutes into the Community Shield at Wembley, carded for demanding a punishment for Rodri following a foul on Kai Havertz. And it didn't take long for Liverpool to suffer similar consequences.
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The look on Trent Alexander-Arnold's face said it all after being shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor during the Reds' first game of the league season at Chelsea. Deemed to have taken too long on a throw-in, the 24-year-old entered the referee's book and was visibly stunned by this call. Later on in the match and the
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