No Problem With Boxing Day Tradition, Rangnick Questions The Practicality Of 2 Legs In The FA Cup And League Cup

Ralf Rangnick (Instagram @ManUtd)

JAKARTA - Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick questioned the practicality of two cup competitions in England. He said English football's governing bodies should sit down together to negotiate whether the FA Cup and League Cup deserve to be held in a calendar where teams have already played too much.

Cited from Antara, Rangnick said he did not mind the tradition of continuing to compete during Christmas and New Year's, on the contrary he wanted to experience it. But he questioned two-legged matches in cup competitions and played in two cup competitions.

"England are the only top league to play two cup competitions. In France they abolished the second cup competition a year or two ago, we are the only country to play two cup competitions," Rangnick told Reuters on Friday.

"I know the League Cup is defended for the sake of the third and fourth division teams, especially to improve the financial situation of the clubs. But I still think, if we talk about a tight calendar, then (we) have played too much."

The two-legged FA Cup fixtures in rounds three and four of this season have been canceled to fulfill fixtures after several postponements, but four Premier League teams will play a two-legged semi-final in the League Cup next month.

Rangnick agreed with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's proposal for the Premier League to implement a five substitution per game rule to reduce the player's workload.

"It was decided every team could replace five players when COVID started 18 months ago. I think it was the right decision," Rangnick said.

United have had two league games postponed due to COVID-19. Rangnick said all of his players were now ready for the trip to Newcastle United except for the injured midfielder Paul Pogba.

United is sixth in the table with 27 points but keeps two games more.