Are substitutes having an impact more than ever before?

The obvious answer for this rise is the changes made to regulations around substitutes.

From the 2022-23 season, managers have been able to make five changes per game instead of three and that saw an increase in goals from substitutes from 102 in 2021-22 to 132 in the first under the new rules.

That increased by 27 goals in 2023-24 and the upward trend appears to be continuing this season, with 13.2% of goals scored in total so far coming from substitutes – a higher percentage than any other Premier League season.

But also having an impact is that matches have been lasting longer.

The average added time per game last season was 11 minutes and 36 seconds, almost double what it was just three years ago.

Again, more stoppages for substitutes is playing a part in that but the ball is also in play now for more minutes than ever before, with an average of 58:12 per game.

But this will likely change again this season, because of a change in timing goal celebrations.

Until now time was added on for every second between the ball hitting the net and the kick-off being taken.

Now the clock is only started after 30 seconds. So a game with six goals would have three minutes less of stoppage time.