LONDON, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The English Premier League on Thursday agreed that clubs will be able to use five substitutes rather than three and have nine players as opposed to seven on the subs' bench when the competition returns to action on June 17th after a break of over three months caused by the coronavirus.

The decision was taken after a meeting of shareholders decided that the number of games to be played in quick succession after a limited preparation time could lead to an increased risk of players suffering muscle injuries.

"For the remainder of the 2019/20 season, the number of substitutes that can be used during a match will increase from three to five players," explained the Premier League in a brief communique, adding the decision is "in line with the temporary law amendment made by the International Football Association."

That amendment says that substitutions can only be made at halftime and at three other time slots during matches in order to avoid an excessive number of stoppages.