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Topics: Premier League, Fantasy Premier League, Fan Reactions, Manchester United, Fulham, Football
Ryan Smart
Topics: Premier League, Fantasy Premier League, Fan Reactions, Manchester United, Fulham, Football
Premier League fans have made their feelings clear about a new rule change that has come into effect ahead of Manchester United's clash with Fulham.
United and Fulham open up the 2024/25 Premier League season at Old Trafford on Friday evening.
It is the first time United have played on the opening day of a Premier League campaign since they beat Leicester 2-1 in August 2018.
It will be a season of change in many ways for United, with several big-money transfers including centre-backs Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro.
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Yoro is not on the teamsheet named by manager Erik ten Hag as he is recovering from an injury suffered in pre-season, but De Ligt is involved at Old Trafford.
Fans may have noticed that United and Fulham both named their teams earlier than usual, as part of a new rule put in place by the Premier League.
Traditionally, teams would post their teamsheets an hour before kick-off - but that has all changed this year.
Instead, lineups are made public a total of 75 minutes before the first ball is kicked in each Premier League match.
The reason for the change is so that the Premier League is aligned with UEFA, who have the same procedure in place for European matches.
Unfortunately for Fantasy Premier League players, the change hasn't affected FPL deadlines, which are still 90 minutes before kick-off of the first match of the gameweek.
And that has left fans questioning why the deadline cannot be changed to allow for players to make changes to their team after official lineups have been released - while others expressed how they generally are not impressed with the switch.
One wrote: "What exactly is the point of this rule change? Thought the line-up one hour before kick-off was just fine."
Another said: "Deadline is 90 minutes before kick-off so what's the point?"
A third added: "That doesn't help when it's after the deadline."
And a fourth said: "Brilliant idea. I've often thought how much the game would improve if we knew the line-up 15 minutes earlier."