Gary Neville suggests drastic rule change to spice up Premier League that would allow teams to win an extra point
GARY NEVILLE has suggested a radical new idea to make the Premier League “100 per cent better”.
Neville’s proposed rule change would impact the way points are awarded after games – and therefore have a direct impact on the Prem table.
Neville has found a way for Prem clubs to earn an extra point here and there.
Speaking on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, Neville posed a question to Ian Wright, Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane.
He quizzed: “What are three things you would change in football to make it 100 per cent better forever?”
Neville said: “At the end of drawn league games. I’d introduce penalties for an extra point.
“So you get two points if you win the shoot-out. Make every game exciting for the fans that come.
“You know when a kid goes to a game for the first time in a season and sees a 0-0 or 1-1 draw and its disappointing.
“So add penalties, you know kids love penalties. My girls love penalties at the end.”
But the listening trio weren’t too keen, adding: “It’s very American isn’t it.”
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That proposition made Neville stop and think, saying: “Yeah, not sure it works actually, but it’s an idea that could be tweaked.”
The rule of a penalty shoot-out at the end of drawn games already happens in the EFL Trophy and the Carabao Cup.
Fulham were dumped out of the Carabao Cup last week after a record-breaking shoot-out defeat against Preston, with 34 penalties taken.
Neville then added he’d change the distribution of wealth between Prem sides and lower divisions – and the group agreed.
The Sky Sports pundit explained: “So there’s not a massive disparity between the Championship and Premier League”.
Before Wright inadvertently backed Gary Lineker‘s idea of an appeal system, where sides only have a limited number of calls for VAR intervention.
But the Arsenal legend added: “Managers should be the only ones that get to call for VAR.”
Keane agreed but added: “Perhaps like American football where if the team gets their challenge correct, they keep the right to go again.”
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FAST forward 12 months to May 18, 2025.
After 89 minutes at Molineux, Wolves, needing to win their last game of the season to stay up, are beating Manchester United, who require a point for Champions League football.
A ball over the top sends Rasmus Hojlund racing away. The flag stays down. Hojlund scores. Wolves are relegated.
And on the way home, the dejected Wolves fans see the still image on their phones.
Hojlund was 2ft offside. No question. A shocker.
It means at least a year in the Championship, £100million income drop, a firesale of the squad. While United bank an extra £50m.
But it’s OK. Every one of those fans, plus smiling boss Gary O’Neil and the Wolves board, will line up to say: “No worries. It’s what we voted for. Rough with the smooth.”
Yes. And I’ve got a bridge to Ireland to sell you.
While Carragher wants to stop players kicking the ball out whenever a team-mate or opponent goes down.
He said: “Players stop kicking the ball out for injuries. It f****** pisses me off.
“People are just going off for injuries when there’s nothing wrong with them. It stops the game.
“This thing of we really feel for our mate on the opposition team because he’s down. Just get on with the game.”
Keane, who was driving the car in Rome, asked: “Bigger goals?”, before striker Wright batted the idea away.
Carragher then added: “Get rid of extra-time.”
Ultimate sports presenters rich list
TV sports presenters make a mint.
The biggest and best are signed up on yearly deals with the likes of the BBC, ITV and Sky for your viewing pleasure.
Laura Woods is dominating the media landscape at the moment, leading TNT Sports’ coverage and ITV’s.
Alex Scott and Jermaine Jenas are two of the fresher faces for the BBC’s sporting output.
Then, it’s the old guard of Gary Lineker and Mark Chapman who also command hefty fees for their Match of the Day programmes.
SunSport has taken a look at how those big names rank and compiled a list of the top 10 highest earning stars that grace our TV screens.
With number one worth a whopping £29.4million more than number 10!
Read the story and see the full list here.