Chris Wilder says Arsenal’s Arteta broke rule during FA Cup clash

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Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder spoke to the Mirror about the newly introduced drinks break rule in the middle of each half.

The high temperatures this summer have forced the Premier League to bring in a small break for the players to refresh themselves midway through each half.

Wilder, who isn’t in favour of the rule, claimed that managers were told by the officials that they weren’t allowed to use the breaks for a team talk; something that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta chose to ignore in the recent FA Cup quarter-final clash.

“We were told against Arsenal we weren’t allowed before the game to give team talks and then I saw Mikel gather his troops and start delivering a team talk and I thought that rule, that directive we got from the Premier League, has gone straight out the window,” said Wilder.

Did Arteta really break a rule?

Arteta is certainly not the only manager to pass on instructions to his players during the drinks break. Almost all managers use the two minutes to make any necessary tactical changes, which is something Wilder is clearly not a fan of.

If the Premier League has directed clubs to not use these breaks for the benefit of the managers, Arteta’s conduct on the day will certainly be looked at by the officials.

However, it really is something that cannot be avoided. Managers are seen passing instructions to players all the time; something that is necessary in the modern game.

The drinks break is a temporary move by the Premier League due to games being played at this period of the year.

The breaks have affected the momentum of a number of clubs but, thankfully, it will only stay for a few more weeks before normalcy returns next season.