With the Premier League season just days away, the excitement is building here at Football Fancast Towers as we inch closer to another enthralling domestic football season.

As always, the FA and the Premier League have got together in the close season to discuss changes to bring in to further improve the game for the players, managers, fans and sponsors.

These are subtle changes that you will start to notice right from the first fixture which is on Friday between Manchester United and Leicester City.

Here at FFC Towers we have explained all the changes, so you are ready for the new season.

Cards For Managers

In an attempt to cut down on bad touchline behaviour, managers in the EFL and National League will be shown yellow and red cards by the referee if they offend.

The rule comes in as a trial, with the possibility of it being applied to the FA Cup this season and the Premier League from next.

Suspension Changes

To us, it has never made sense that you should miss a cup game if you have tallied up enough bookings in the league? Finally, the FA has changed the rule so that bookings are only counted in the competition it was received in.

So in order to be banned for the next cup match, you have to receive two yellow cards in either the Carabao Cup or FA Cup.

Electronic Devices

Managers will be allowed electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets on the touchline this season, a move that could revolutionise the game.

Prem bosses will have the ability to commit to their fellow coaches who may not be sat on the bench with them. Although the International Football Association cannot stop them from using it to watch replays, punishments will be issued to abusers of the system.

If a manager is seen confronting the officials about an incident because of what he has seen on the device, then the device will be taken away and a red or yellow card will be issued.

No Extra Time

From this season, there will be no extra time played in the Carabao Cup competition, games that are level at the end of 90 minutes will go straight to penalties.

This should make what is a largely unpopular competition a lot more exciting.

No More ABBA

The EFL have also announced that when those Carabao Cup matches go to penalties, they will be taken in the traditional format as seen in the World Cup this summer.

Last year saw the introduction of the ABBA system, which is statistically the fairest way of conducting a penalty shootout.

No Seeds In Carabao Cup

In recent seasons teams have been seeded for the first two rounds of the Carabao Cup, this season the EFL has decided to scrap that.

The first round will remain split into North and South sections of the draw but Championship teams won't have the safety of being seeded.

Shorter Transfer Window

For the first time ever, the English summer transfer window will shut before the start of the Premier League season.

Historically clubs have had until the end of August to finalise their teams for the season.

This year, all business will have to be done by Thursday 9th at 5pm, before the first fixture on Friday, between Manchester United and Leicester City.

 

4th Place Change

 

For years the top four has been the holy grail for many clubs, with those teams qualifying for the Champions League.

The top three teams have always gone straight into the group stages of Europe's biggest club competition, with fourth place having to go through the qualifying stage.

However, this season, all four teams will automatically qualify for the the group stages.

No African Nations Cup

The biennial meeting of Africa's great nations which usually takes place in January has been moved to become a summer tournament, just like the European Championships, Copa America and the Asia Cup.

This is great news for Premier League clubs, especially Liverpool who have players like Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita who would have certainly been picked for their countries.

Number Of Homegrown Players

Clubs in the EFL will now have to include at least seven players in their squad.

This is an increase by one player from last year's rules.

Club Developed Players

As well as seven homegrown players, the squad must also include at least one 'club developed' player.

To qualify as club developed, a player must have been registered to the club for at least a year before his under 19s season ends.

No Programmes

This season for the first time ever, clubs will not be required to produced a physical copy of a matchday programme after the EFL took out the mandatory regulation.

It is believed many EFL clubs had previously asked for permission to not produce the traditional programme and offer a digital alternative.

VAR Used

The implementation of VAR certainly added to the excitement of the summer's World Cup finals and although the Premier League has decided not to use it, the Carabao Cup will be using it.

Fixtures at Premier League stadiums will have the full use of the system as in the FA Cup last season.