Mikel Arteta sweating over Arsenal’s long throws as Premier League ban TOWELS in host of rule changes for new season

MIKEL ARTETA is sweating after the Premier League banned TOWELS from being used to dry footballs this season. Champions Arsenal kick off their campaign on Sunday with a Community Shield clash against Manchester City. The tactician used Ben White and Declan Rice to take long throws last season Credit: Getty The Premier League’s new protocols banning towels being used to dry hands ahead of a throw in could disrupt Mikel Arteta’s plans Credit: Getty Gunners boss Arteta, who used Ben White and Declan Rice for long throws last term, said: “Not being able to use the towels is already a big one.” The Spaniard fears his side’s threat will be reduced from long throws after protocols changed. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! Stars will no longer be able to wipe the ball dry before launching missiles into the penalty box. And Arteta joked he will send his players out in hats so they have something to dry their hands. He added: “Let’s see what we do. Maybe we will play with hats on!” Previously both teams have had to agree before matches over the use of towels. Against Newcastle last season, Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori tried to use a towel left near Nick Pope’s goal to dry the ball before a throw-in. Referee Jarred Gillett intervened and took the towel away — as the teams had not agreed for them to be used. Most read in Sport CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Play Dream Team this season! £100,000 in prize money up for grabs in 2026/27 Free to enter Play in Mini Leagues against your mates £60,000 jackpot for the overall winner £1,000 prize for winning Gameweek 1 PLAY DREAM TEAM NOW! When he was Nottingham Forest boss last season, Sean Dyche criticised the use of towels saying they are an unfair advantage. Yet Arteta reckons the game will be better to watch and that the new laws are “really good”. A crackdown on timewasting has been deployed throughout English football which will see countdowns for goal-kicks and throw-ins, time-limited substitutions, injured players being forced to stay off the pitch for a minute. If a goalkeeper asks for the physio, outfield players must leave the pitch for one minute. Asked which rule will have the biggest impact, Arteta said: “We have had the Premier League and the referees there with us to explain and go through everything. “In pre-season we had the opportunity to see and experience some of them. “We will have to see when the season starts and how this unfolds and what is more doable and what is less doable and what we need to adapt. “We know that everybody is paying so much to the details, all the restarts and the countdowns, that will bring something else, a different dynamic, different momentum. Arteta is a fan of the Prem’s new rule changes as a whole, which look to crack down on time wasting Credit: The Times “So I am very curious to see. They are really good rules because what we are doing is trying to promote more game time and the fluidity of the games which is better and hopefully that will work.” Yet it is Arsenal who were often criticised for their time-wasting on their way to the Premier League title. Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler criticised Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya after the Spaniard received treatment three times with Arsenal holding on to secure a crucial 1-0 Premier League victory. Comment now